The Adventure Continues
by Harliquinn
Summary: Summary:  The further adventures of the residents of Four Corners. Part of the When It Rains series.  Warning: May contain disciplinary spanking in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES**

**Summary: The further adventures of the residents of Four Corners. Part of the When It Rains series. Warning: May contain disciplinary spanking in later chapters.**

**As always, any reviews or comments you have will be greatly appreciated.**

**CHAPTER 1**

"Sammy, have you heard?" Kevin raced up the steps to the front porch of the boarding house. "There's a rodeo coming to town." He didn't know just what a rodeo was, but Billy's and Joshua's excitement about the event had rubbed of onto him.

"Big deal," Sammy responded. "Do you even know what a rodeo is?"

Kevin thought for a minute. The poster tacked outside the Clarion had showed a man on a bucking horse, but that really didn't tell him all that much about the event. "Not really."

Sammy stood and walked over to Kevin. "It just a bunch of stupid men riding horses." She brushed past the boy and continued off the porch.

She and Chris had gotten into it that morning, and she was still nursing her temper over the outcome of their fight. All she wanted was to cut her hair shorter, but Chris had adamantly refused. It wasn't as if she wanted to cut it boyishly short again, she mused. Since she had come to town her hair had grown so long that it now reached the bottom of her shoulder blades. And even when she wore it pinned up, it was hot. She wanted to cut it to shoulder length, and couldn't understand why Chris refused to even consider the idea. Lifting the heavy mass of it so some air could get to the back of her neck, she thought it might just be worth the licking she'd get to do it.

Sammy needed to do something to get rid of her temper before she did something she would regret. She knew without even trying that the piano wasn't going to help – she'd just brood even more, and there was only so much of her brooding temper that Chris would be willing to tolerate. She thought briefly about going to see Nancy. Sammy and the school teacher had developed a close friendship since the teenager had begun helping out in the one-room school house. Even though Nancy had completely recovered from her run-in with a snake, things had been working so well, that they decided that Sammy would continue to help out. Nancy was taking advantage of having Sammy there and was teaching her to become a teacher, herself. Unfortunately, Sammy remembered that Nancy wasn't at home. She and Vin were going to spend the day out riding.

Leaning down, Sammy picked up a rock from the dusty street. She tossed it into the air a couple of times as though testing its weight and balance. Finally, she threw the rock as hard as she could down the street. Grunting with satisfaction when it landed with a solid thud and sent up a cloud of dust, Sammy turned toward the livery stable. She decided she would work off her mad by grooming the little mare that Chris had bought for her use. The gunman had made it clear that if he obtained the animal for her, she would be responsible for its care.

As she approached the livery stable, she noticed a man in deep conversation with Yosemite. The man was a stranger in town, or at least was someone Sammy had never seen before. He was dressed in dark trousers and a shirt that had probably been blue, but was so dusty that it was hard to tell. His long, dark hair hung lank around his shoulders, and he wore a dusty black hat. Behind him, a string of horses was tied to coral fence.

The two men glanced Sammy's way as she slipped into the cool interior of the building. She gathered grooming equipment from the tack room and entered Autumn's stall. The little paint mare bumped her head into Sammy's shoulder, asking for attention. She indulged the animal by scratching her between the eyes before beginning to groom her.

xxxxxxxxxx

Vin was nervous, but he hoped it didn't show too much. This was the first time he and Nancy had been out riding since they had returned to town. He'd wanted to court her, but hadn't been sure how to go about it. After all, Nancy had grown up back east, and he was sure she had definite ideas on the matter. So, he had swallowed a bit of his pride and asked Mary for advice. She had suggested that they go for a ride and have a picnic out by the river. When Mrs. Patterson had learned of his plans, she had been more than happy to volunteer to prepare their lunch.

So, here they were. Nancy had spread a quilt on the grass by the river bank and they had spread out the food Mrs. Patterson had sent. The tracker and the school teacher ate in near silence. The easy conversation of their previous ride had been replaced by an awkwardness that neither of them had anticipated.

Nancy supposed it was because Vin was courting her now, when before he had been doing a favor for Mary Travis. She wondered if he felt as nervous about it as she did.

"So, tell me how you got to know Kojay and his people," Nancy asked, hoping to not only start a conversation but also to find out more about the man reclining on the other side of the quilt. "You never really told me about that." She had seen how he had been accepted by the people, and by extension, that acceptance had carried over to her. The question had been posed to him before, but he had skirted the issue.

Vin sighed. He really didn't like talking about himself. However, he supposed that getting to know about someone was part of courting. "I've only known Kojay and his people a couple 'a years," he stated, picking at the breading on a piece of fried chicken. "His son, Chanu, got mixed up in a mess with a bunch of missionaries. I helped him out of it. In the process, Josiah and I both became close to his people."

Nancy smiled and took a sip of the tea Vin had poured for her. Mrs. Patterson had thought of everything, including a canteen of the sweetened beverage. That was more of an answer than she had ever received before, but it still didn't tell her everything. It was obvious that the man across from her was reluctant to share his past. She knew that it was his nature to be reserved, but she was determined to break through those walls. "But that's not the first time you've dealt with an Indian tribe, though, was it?"

She was thrilled at the slightly astonished look on Vin's face. It was obvious he hadn't been expecting that question. Vin's expression quickly turned from astonishment to thoughtfulness. "Nope. You asked your question, now it's my turn. Why'd you decided to come out here to be a teacher?"

"I wanted adventure," she said simply. "I told you I grew up on a horse farm in Kentucky, didn't I?" When Vin responded that she had, Nancy continued. "Well, it wasn't just any old horse farm. It was more like a southern plantation. We were among the cream of society, even after the war." She paused to tear a bite off the buttered biscuit she held in her hand and popped it into her mouth. "You wouldn't believe what a scandal it was when I announced I wanted to attend the normal school and learn to become a teacher. Proper women do not seek to learn a profession or work outside their homes. Their jobs are to be proper wives and mothers," she stated in a mockingly snooty voice.

"Yeah," Vin stated, suddenly feeling uncomfortable with the glaring difference in their backgrounds. "I can imaging that went over real well with your folks."

"Actually, my dad was all for the idea. He'd fought in the war and knew our society had to change. Plus, as he was fond of saying, he couldn't abide useless females. Daddy paid my tuition to the normal school, and when I got the opportunity to take the job out here, he paid my transportation expenses." Nancy took another bite of her biscuit. She sensed the change in Vin's demeanor. Rather than the relaxed position he had been in earlier, he now sat a bit stiffly. She hoped she hadn't said the wrong thing. Surely he wouldn't hold her society background against her, she thought.

Nancy's suspicions were confirmed only a few minutes later when Vin began gathering up the remains of their picnic and started stuffing them back into the saddle bags Mrs. Patterson had provided. When he was finished, he stood and dusted off the seat of his britches. "I think it's time we headed back to town." He headed toward where the horses had been picketed in the shade and strapped the saddle bags behind his saddle.

Reluctantly, Nancy rose and folded the quilt that had been spread on the grass. She, too, moved to the horses and secured the bundle behind her saddle.

The ride back into town was made in tense silence.

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Several of the peacekeepers and the two children were gathered around the dining room in the boarding house for dinner that evening. The initial conversation centered around Kevin's continued excitement over the rodeo that was coming to town. Although Sammy's mood had improved somewhat, she was still angry with Chris's decision and decided to give the gunman the silent treatment. As a result, she ignored the chatter going on around her until J.D. mentioned that Yosemite had purchased a couple of new horses that day from a stranger in town.

Chris wanted more information, so Buck and J.D. filled him in.

"A ran into him over at the saloon after he'd finished his business with Yosemite," Buck stated. "Said his name was Luther Gibbs. Makes his living going from town to town selling or trading horses. According to him, he learned the trade from his pa and hopes to teach it to his younguns."

"I took a look at the ones he sold Yosemite. They're pretty good looking animals," J.D. interrupted. "Yosemite hadn't decided whether he's going to try and sell 'em or use 'em to rent out. Guess he's gonna wait to see how they take to a saddle and rider first. Said the man told 'em they'd been broken to the saddle, but he wants to find out for himself."

"Can I ride one of them," Kevin asked around a mouthful of food, earning a glare from Chris for his lack of table manners. He'd been taking riding lessons from whichever one of the seven men had been willing or had the time to do it. That generally meant that he'd practiced riding just about every day and had gotten rather good at it. He was able to control the old nag Yosemite kept around for inexperienced riders with relative ease. The boy was anxious to try his hand with an animal that required a little more control.

"We'll see," Vin responded. "It'll depend on what Yosemite decides to do with 'em and how easy they are ta' ride."

"Please," Kevin begged in his most desperate voice.

"Ya' heard what I said," Vin stated, his voice firm. He had quickly learned to cut Kevin's wheedling in the bud, but that didn't stop the boy from trying. Kevin started to say something in response, but Vin merely held up his hand. "Keep it up, and you won't be ridin' anything for at least a week."

Sammy hid her grin in her napkin as Kevin slumped back in his chair with a disgruntled, "yes, sir." She knew it was probably petty of her, but a small part of her took pleasure in seeing Kevin getting in trouble. She also knew she would be the one getting in trouble if Chris ever found out about it. So far, it had been her little secret.

Sensing the rising tension in the room, Buck decided it was time to change the subject. "So, Vin, how'd your ride with the very pretty Miss Bishop go?"

TBC

Author's note: Any NCIS fans out there?


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who reviewed or set an alert for this story. As always, your feedback is greatly appreciated. I also appreciate the shout out Gaben gave me at the end of her last chapter of Freeze Frame 3. If you enjoy NCIS fanfics, that series is well worth the read.**

**Speaking of NCIS, I'm sure many of you are curious about my comment about that show at the end of the last chapter. Actually, if you didn't catch it, I wrote in a little bit of a crossover between that and Magnificent 7. If you are familiar with NCIS, you may remember the episode, Hung Out to Dry, in which Gibbs tells Kate that he came from a long line of horse traders. So, I decided to create one of Gibbs's horse trading ancestors. **

**CHAPTER 2**

Josiah smiled at the sight of the group of boys playing baseball in the empty field behind the church. There were about a dozen kids of varying ages playing, all of whom lived in town. Billy and Kevin were among them.

The preacher had no sooner stepped inside to continue his work on the interior of the church when everything went wrong. Kevin was batting, and an older boy from town had just pitched the ball to him. At first, Kevin was thrilled to have connected with the ball as that hadn't happened very often. However, instead of flying out over the field, the ball went foul, arching back off the edge of the bat, directly into one of the church's window panes.

Josiah came rushing out of the building in time to see all but two of the boys racing off. Billy and Kevin stood rooted in place. Kevin still held the bat, and the look on his face was a mixture of shock and fear.

Chris had been walking by the church on his way to the saloon when he heard the unmistakable sound of glass breaking and spotted the boys scattering. Silently thinking that his job as the leader of the town peacekeepers had involved dealing with as many misbehaving children as it had drunken cowboys and wayward gunslingers, he changed course to the back of the church. As soon as he rounded the building he spotted Josiah kneeling on the ground talking to Kevin and Billy. The black-clad man didn't miss the bat that Kevin still held or the tears that were streaming down his cheeks. Well shit, he thought as he approached the group.

"What's going on here?" he demanded.

"It was an accident, I promise." Kevin swiped at the tears streaming down his cheeks and looked up at Chris. He didn't know which was worse, the fact that it was Chris who had showed up or the thought that it might have been Vin who had come around the corner of the building.

Josiah pulled the crying boy into his arms for a soothing hug. "It's alright, Kevin. It truly was an accident." Kevin laid his head on a broad shoulder and nodded.

"Billy," Chris turned to the other boy, realizing that he wasn't going to get anything out of Kevin at the moment. "What happened?"

"We were playing baseball, and Kevin was batting." Billy glanced over at his friend, who was still being comforted by Josiah. "He don't hit the ball much, so nobody really expected him to do it this time. Except he did hit it, but it flew backward and broke the church window." His pleading eyes looked up to Chris's stern face. "It really was an accident."

Chris nodded and looked over to where Kevin was now standing beside Josiah. "Come over here, please." He watched as Kevin reluctantly obeyed. When the boy was closer, Chris looked down into his tear-stained face. "Is that what happened."

"Yes, sir."

"Okay, sounds like it was an accident." He didn't miss Kevin's sigh of relief and realized the boy expected to be punished for what had happened. "Because it was an accident, you won't be punished. But, you will have to pay for the new window by working here at the church with Josiah." Chris nearly grinned when Kevin's face dropped. "Josiah, do you know who the other boys were?" When Josiah nodded, Chris continued. "As far as I'm concerned, you weren't in this alone, so Billy will help. And, I'll be talking to the parents of the other boys, so you can expect some help from them as well. Sound fair?" He looked at the two recalcitrant boys standing in front of him.

"Yes, sir," they both replied.

"Good, why don't you get started by sweeping up that broken glass. And be careful, we don't want to have to get Nathan to stitch up any cuts." Both boys reluctantly made their way into the church. This wasn't the first time that Kevin had spent time working in the church, so he knew where the broom and dust pan were kept.

Chris turned to Josiah. "That do?" he asked.

"It will indeed. I suspect by the time we finish speaking with the other boys' parents I will have more help around here than I'll know what to do with." Josiah glanced in the direction of the church. He could see the tops of the two boys' heads through the now glassless window as they worked to clean up the mess. "A new window won't be all that expensive." The cost could easily be paid out of the offerings the parishioners made every Sunday.

"It ain't the cost," Chris stated, studying the other man's face. "It's about teachin' them to take responsibility for their actions. They stood up while the other boys took off. I think cleanin' up the mess will be work enough, don't you?"

"I do at that, Brother Chris. However, I'm sure I can find plenty more work to keep the other boys busy for a mite longer."

XxxxxxxxxxxX

A week later, the incident at the church had largely been forgotten. A new window pane had been ordered and was expected to arrive on the next stage. A couple of the boys still had to perform their penance for their part in what had happened, mainly for running from the scene of the crime. Kevin and Billy had been pleased to learn that after the broken glass had been cleaned up and disposed of to Josiah's satisfaction, their penance was complete. Josiah had been sure to make it known that they had gotten off so lightly and with less work than the other boys because they had stayed and taken responsibility for what had happened.

The two boys were playing marbles in the alley beside the jail when the sound of horses being ridden at a fast pace down the street caught their attention. It also caught the attention of Buck, who was taking his shift in the building that served as the peacekeepers' unofficial headquarters. He stepped out onto the porch to see what the commotion was all about. What he saw sent a chill down his spine.

The tall gunman moved quickly to where Kevin and Billy now stood, transfixed by what they were watching. Grabbing each boy by an arm, he propelled them in the direction of the jail's door. "Get in there and stay down. Don't come out for anything unless one of us comes to get you. Understand?"

Having been through this before, both boys quickly nodded and rushed to take cover inside the building. They moved into a corner in one of the jail cells and took a seat on the floor. "What do you think is happening?" Kevin asked.

XxxxxxxxxxxX

"Thanks, Inez." Vin glanced up as another beer was placed at his elbow. Although it wasn't unusual for the tracker to drink alone, he seemed to be brooding a bit more than usual.

"Is there something wrong, Senor?" Although they weren't close, Inez considered Vin to be a friend. And at the moment, her friend looked like he could use someone to talk to.

"Nah," he responded, shaking his head. "I've just got somethin' on my mind that I gotta work out." He picked up the mug of beer and took a sip.

"Anytime you want to talk about it, you know where to find me."

"Thanks, Inez. I might just take you up on it."

Inez nodded and moved back to the bar. She had been able to tell that Vin needed to talk about whatever was on his mind. However, Inez knew that getting that man to talk would be like pulling hen's teeth. She was wiping down the already gleaming wood when Ezra slid onto one of the bar stools and ordered a whiskey. A thought occurred to her. Ezra seemed to have an uncanny ability to get other people to talk.

"Senor Standish," Inez began as she set Ezra's requested whiskey in front on him. "I believe your friend, Senor Tanner, has something on his mind and could use someone willing to draw it out."

Ezra glanced over to where Vin sat slouched in a chair, staring into a nearly full bear mug. "Did Mr. Tanner say anything about what is bothering him." While it wasn't unusual for Vin to brood, he seemed a bit more intent about it this time.

"No," Inez replied. "Only that he has something on his mind."

Ezra nodded. "Thank you for your concern, my dear. I will see if I can get to the bottom of Mr. Tanner's fretful state." He picked up his drink and made his way to the table where Vin sat.

"Mr. Tanner," Ezra greeted the other man. "You look like someone who has the weight of the world on his shoulders. Unlike Atlas, you may unburden yourself to me if you wish."

Vin looked confused for a moment, unsure what Ezra meant by Atlas. But, he did understand that his friend was offering him a supportive ear. He wasn't sure, though, if he wanted to talk about what was bothering him. "Thanks, Ezra, but I don't think I wanna talk about it. It's just somethin' I needa work through in my mind."

Ezra nodded. "Did something happen between you and Miss Bishop during your picnic?" He had noticed a definite chill in the air between the two since their arrival back in town.

Vin studied his beer a moment before picking it up to take a deep drink. Shrugging, he placed back on the table. "Seems we jus' don't suit. Her bein' from high society, and all, and me . . . well, let's just say I grew up as far from high society as ya' can get."

Whatever Ezra had been expecting, this hadn't exactly been it. "Well, as someone who has been exposed to high society it isn't exactly what it has been cracked up to be." Seeing that wasn't exactly helping, he continued. "It is not our backgrounds or where we were born that determines the person we become."

A commotion on the street caught their attention before Vin could reply. Both men jumped from their seats and raced outside to see what was happening.

XxxxxxxxxxX

"I still don't understand why he reacted that way," Nancy stated as she took a sip of tea. She had Mary had made a habit of meeting for tea at least once a week. "I've thought about it over and over again. But the moment I brought up my background, he was ready to leave."

Mary was surprised it had taken Nancy this long to bring up her picnic with Vin. She'd bitten her tongue more than once to keep from asking about it, deciding that it would be better to let her friend bring it up rather than press the issue. It had been hard, as Mary had noticed a difference in how Vin and Nancy had been acting with each other.

"I don't know that much about Vin's background," Mary stated, taking a sip of her own tea. "He doesn't talk much about himself and his past. I do know that his mother died when he was very young. From what he has said, I think he was pretty much on his own after that."

"I don't care about his past. It's the man he is now that I care about."

"Well, we'll just have to figure out a way of convincing him of that," Mary responded.

The sound of running horses and shouting caught their attention. Both women quickly moved to a nearby window to see what was happening. Unfortunately, their view was blocked by a neighboring building.

"I'm going out on the porch to see what's wrong," Nancy stated as she moved toward the stairs.

"That's not a good idea," Mary stated, thinking of Chris's last warning. The mood he'd been in lately, she wouldn't put it past him to carry out his threat. Though she viewed it as being slightly cowardly, she chose to stay inside.

Nancy was a little surprised at Mary's response. She wouldn't have pegged the other woman as being cautious. "It'll be okay. I don't think anything dangerous is going on." She opened the front door and stepped out onto the porch. "Besides, I'll come back inside if it starts to look dangerous."

Vin spotted Nancy standing on the porch of the Clarion. "Damn it," he cursed. Without turning to look at his fellow peacekeepers, he stated, "I'll be back in a minute."

Nancy watched as Vin strode purposefully in her direction. She could tell he was angry about something and knew, without a doubt, that his anger was directed toward her.

"What the hell are you doin' out here?" he demanded as he approached her. "You're smart enough to know better to come outside when a gunfight's brewin'. Even if you ain't been here long enough ta' know the signs 'a one, Mary wouldn't known exactly what was happenin'. Now, get yourself back inside where it's safe."

"But it hasn't start yet, has it?" Nancy asked, the petulant tone clear in her voice. "Until it starts I'm in no real danger. No, I think I'll stay right here." She crossed her arms over her chest, communicating her stubborn resolve to the long-haired tracker. She dismissed the thought that the gesture made her look like a spoiled child, intent on not letting Vin intimidate her.

Vin cursed again, not bothering to apologize to Nancy for his course language, and moved onto the porch. Nancy even knew what had happened, Vin grabbed her arm at the same time he bent forward. Next thing she knew, she was upended over his shoulder. Nancy could hear the laughter of the other peacekeepers from across the street and began struggling. That earned her a sharp smack to her upturned backside and a warning to be still.

Pushing the door open with his free hand, Vin carried the schoolteacher into the Clarion and set her on her feet. He spotted Mary standing in the far hallway, and the look he sent her clearly warned her not to say anything. Turning back to Nancy, he pinned her with a hard look. "I don't care what you got away with back east, but if I tell you to do something, I expect you to do it. I ain't givin' you orders just to hear myself talkin'. You do as you're told, or I swear I'll turn you over my knee." Without even waiting for a reply, Vin turned on his heel and stalked out of the newspaper office.

Nancy stood in shock for a moment before turning to look at Mary. "What was that about?"

Mary smiled. "I'd say that Vin cares for you more than he's willing to admit."

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Chris glanced up from checking the load of his revolver when Vin rejoined the group. "You get ever'thing straightened out?"

Vin shrugged in response. "We'll see. I don't think she's quite convinced she's gotta stay inside." He chose not to tell his friend about the promise he'd made to the school teacher. To him, that wasn't something to be bandied about town.

The older man took another hard look at the younger man at his side. The other members of the seven were busy making their own preparations for the gun battle they suspected would be happening soon. The men who had ridden into town were too liquored up to use any commonsense in the matter. The plan was for Chris, with Vin's backup, to ask the men to leave town. All of the peacekeepers would prefer a peaceful solution to this problem, but really didn't think that would happen.

"So, you gonna tell me what's gotten into your craw about that woman?"

Vin glanced over at his friend. He had a link with Chris that wasn't present with any of the other men. Because of that, he figured Chris would understand this dilemma more than the others would. Shrugging, he simply stated, "I decided we don't suit."

"uh huh," Chris responded, noncommittally. He knew his continued silence would encourage Vin to talk more than words would.

He hadn't been wrong. After a few seconds of silence, Vin continued. "She grew up in high society, and, well, I didn't." Vin shoved the loaded mare's leg into the holster strapped to his leg and cursed in frustration. "I just ain't the right man for her. She deserves someone better."

Chris turned to look Vin in the face. "That's bullshit, and you know it. If she wanted a society life, she wouldn't have come out here. I get the impression that she wants the simple life more'n she wants to be some society belle back east. 'Sides, I ain't missed the hints she keeps droppin' for you to court her. Obviously, she doesn't think you're not good enough for her." Chris pulled his gun out of his holster and stood. He knew Vin would have to chew on that for a while before he convinced himself of that. "Come on, let's get this over with."

Chris's plan to avoid the inevitable gun battle went about as well has he had expected. The dozen or so drunken cowboys had ridden into town hell bent for leather, regardless of the danger they posed to the townspeople. They'd fired their guns into the air before making their way into Digger Dan's saloon. Occasional gunshots could be heard coming from the building.

The peacekeepers had quickly cleared the streets and gathered to decide what was to be done. Because they wanted to avoid a gunfight if possible, it was decided that Chris would first attempt to persuade the men to leave peacefully. Since no one really believed that would work, the other men took up strategic positions around town while Chris and Vin approached the cowboys.

Shots quickly rang out as the fight spilled out onto the street. The battle was over in minutes. The drunken cowboys were no match for the skills of the peacekeepers. When it was over, Nathan was seeing to the wounded while the others gathered up the remaining men. Chris was about to lock the door on the cell block when he heard his name being shouted from outside. He stepped out onto the jail's front porch to see a man being escorted by gunpoint in the direction of the jail by none other than Michael Langdon.

"You missed one. I caught him tryin' to sneak out of town," Michael stated as he approached the jail.

Chris eyed him hard, but stepped aside to allow the two men to pass. "Buck," Chris called for the tall gunman to take the man off Michael's hands. "I thought I told you to leave town," he stated as soon as they were alone.

"I did, but I came back," Michael replied, holstering his gun. "Lucky for you I showed up when I did, or that guy woulda gotten away." The smug expression on his face nearly caused Chris to go after him then and there.

"What are you doing here?" the black-clad gunman demanded, barely hanging onto his temper by a thread.

"I'm looking for work on one of the ranches around here." What Michael didn't want to say is that he had been let go by the Texas Rangers because of his quest for vengeance. Plus, he hadn't been able to get a certain young woman out of his mind. "I just happened to ride into town at the tail end of the fight and spotted that guy tryin' to make a break for it. Figured from the way he was actin' that he was tryin' to escape 'fore he could get caught."

Chris nodded. He knew there was something more going on than Langdon was telling him, but was willing to let it go for the moment. "I don't know what you're really up to, but you'd best keep your nose clean while you're in my town." He walked off, leaving the threat hanging in the air.

XxxxxxxxxxxX

Nancy slipped into the livery stable. She knew she wasn't supposed to be riding, especially not by herself, but she was on a mission. The cowboys who had been involved in the gun battle the week before had been released from jail that morning. Chris had put out the word that nobody who didn't have to was to be riding out of town for a couple of days to give the cowboys the chance to get out of the area. He was concerned about the men getting the idea to exact some revenge on the citizens of Four Corners.

Earlier that morning, Nancy had dipped into her meager savings and purchased a revolver and a couple boxes of ammunition at the gun and saddle shop. She was familiar with guns, having been taught by her father to shoot one. However, Nancy hadn't brought one with her when she came out west. Purchasing one had been something she had been considering for a while, and she had finally made up her mind to do it. She was sure word of her purchase would reach Vin before the morning was out, and she wanted to get some target practice in so that she would feel comfortable with the gun.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when Sammy slipped into the stable behind her. The two young women had run into each other outside of Potter's store. Nancy had told Sammy what she had planned. The younger girl had thought it a wonderful idea and, knowing full well what Chris's reaction would be if they were caught, asked if she could come along. Nancy was pleased to have the company.

Now, dressed in denim trousers and cotton work shirts, they quickly saddled their horses and headed out of town in the direction of a small canyon they believed would be perfect for their purposes.

Vin was spending his morning doing a routine patrol north of town. Other peacekeepers were patrolling other areas surrounding the town out of concern that the cowboys who had been released from jail that morning might have thoughts of taking revenge on the town. He was startled when the sounds of gunfire disrupted the otherwise quiet surroundings. Vin listened for additional shots in order to get a bead on the direction of the sound.

The hair on the back of his neck stood up when he neared a small box canyon. The sound of gun fire was growing louder. That, along with the hoof prints he'd picked up and had been following, told him he was on the right path. As he grew closer, he realized that the shots were too evenly placed to be anything other than target practice. Still, he wasn't about to let his guard down, especially since he had no idea what he was going to ride into.

His sense of wariness quickly turned to anger when he spotted the two women. He waited until they had both emptied their guns and had stopped to reload before riding in. "What the hell do you two think yer doin?" he demanded, bringing his horse to a stop a few feet away from where Nancy and Sammy were standing.

Both young women jumped in surprise at Vin's demand. They had been so intent on their target practice that they hadn't heard him ride up. In fact, they hadn't even been aware that anyone was behind them until he spoke. When Vin spoke, Nancy whirled around and swung her newly acquired revolver up into a defensive stance. About the same time she realized that the man approaching her was Vin and lowered the gun, she heard Sammy mutter "oh, shit."

"I asked you two a question, and I expect an answer," Vin stated as he stalked up to Nancy and yanked the obviously unload gun out of her hand. He snapped the open bullet cylinder shut and stuck the firearm into his belt. Holding out his hand to Sammy, he waited impatiently until she, too, turned over the gun she held. Vin's face grew even harder when he recognized the gun he now held as one of the spare firearms kept in the gun cabinet at the jail. "Well?" he demanded.

Nancy and Sammy looked at each other for a moment before turning back to face Vin. Nancy had never seen him this angry. She didn't know why, but his response fascinated rather than scared her. Sammy, on the other hand, was nearly as familiar with Vin's formidable temper as she was with Chris's and knew, without a doubt, that it didn't bode well for either of them. She instinctively took a step back. "We, ah, decided to do some target practicing," she nearly cursed herself out loud for stating the obvious.

"I can see that," Vin stated, shortly. "Where'd you get the guns?"

Sammy drew herself up until she stood straight. "I borrowed it from the gun cabinet at the jail," she admitted, hoping that coming clean would win her some leniency. After all, no one had expressly forbidden her from touching or handling a gun.

It was finally starting to sink into Nancy just how much trouble she and Sammy might "just be in. Still, she wasn't going to back down. Standing her ground, she looked Vin straight in the eye. "I bought mine this morning, and I would like it back, if you don't mind." Sammy visibly winced at Nancy's smart remark. That was definitely not the way to handle the situation.

"I do mind, and I'd lose that attitude if'n I were you." Vin took a step closer to the women. "Did you know that we didn't want anyone riding outta town today?"

Sammy nodded. She couldn't deny that she was aware of the restriction as she had been in the room when the peacekeepers had been discussing it.

"Nancy?"

"Yes, I knew," she said matter of factly.

Vin spun on his heal and stalked off in an attempt to get his temper under control. He was tempted to turn both of them over his knee then and there. Finally, he turned back to the two girls. "Mount up. We're going back to town." He didn't wait to see if they were obeying his order before mounting his own horse. Once Nancy and Sammy had mounted, they rode out toward town.

TBC

Author's Note: You may have noticed that I didn't tell you the identity of the group involved in the gunfight. I decided I'd leave that to your imagination.

Also, my next chapter probably will not be posted for a few weeks. Real life is going to be hectic between rehearsals for the next community orchestra concert, as well as the concert, and editing a novel for my cousin. I promise, I won't forget the story – I just don't anticipate having a lot of writing time.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed this story. Keep your comments coming, I love getting reviews in my inbox. **

**Warning: This chapter contains referenced to disciplinary spanking. If that's not your thing, hit the back button now.**

**CHAPTER 4**

Vin's temper was still on a slow burn when they finally rode out with Nancy and Sammy out in front, where he could keep an eye on them. Vin was doing that more for show than anything. He knew neither of them would attempt to run away. They both were way too smart to pull something like that.

The ride passed in tense silence until Vin heard the sound of hoof beats coming their direction. He moved forward so that he was between Sammy and Nancy and the oncoming rider. When the horse appeared over the rise, Vin recognized the rider immediately, and from the way Sammy tensed behind him, she did too.

"What are you going here?" Vin demanded when the rider pulled up only a few feet away.

"I could ask you the same thing, Tanner." Michael Langdon's gaze settled on Sammy. He nearly smiled when she stiffened at the moment she realized where his gaze had settled.

Vin, too, noticed the direction of the other man's gaze, and like Sammy, he wasn't too happy about it. His hand slid to the butt of his gun in warning. "You ain't answered my question."

Michael didn't miss Vin's action. Pulling his gaze from Sammy, he eyed the other man for a moment before responding. "It's a free country. There's no law I know of that says I can't be on this road." Seeing that his flippant response wasn't kindly received, he quickly continued. "I'm just passing through."

Satisfied that he had received an answer that was at least partially truthful, Vin sat back in his saddle. "Well, keep on riding then." He waited until Michael had reined his horse around the small group and continued on his way before urging Sammy and Nancy forward.

Nancy hadn't missed the exchange between her friend and Michael Langdon and knew there was more to Sammy's response than Michael's insulting look. However, given the situation, she was more than willing to hold her questions until later.

When they reached Four Corners the small group rode directly to the livery stable. Vin waited until Nancy and Sammy had unsaddled and brushed down their horses before he escorted them to the jail. He planned to turn Sammy over to Chris then escort Nancy to her boarding house, where they would have a serious discussion about her safety.

After seeing to his own horse Vin waited impatiently for Sammy and Nancy to finish with theirs. It didn't take a genius to see that they were deliberately moving slowly, hoping to delay the inevitable march over to the jail. Finally, he'd waited long enough. "Get a move on, girls. You ain't doin' yourselves any favors."

The two young women glanced at each other. Neither of them were looking forward to the confrontation to come, but they didn't want to make matters worse. Sighing, Nancy nodded to Sammy, silently telling her friend that it was time to face the music. Almost in unison they gave their mounts one last pat and exited the stalls.

Vin gestured for them to proceed him and instructed them to head over to the jail. As they approached the building, Vin spotted J.D. and Kevin sitting on steps to the front porch. They were reading one of J.D.'s dime novels. J.D. seemed to be enjoying it as much as Kevin. Next to Vin and Chris, Kevin was probably closest to the youngest peacekeeper. J.D. tended to view and treat the boy as a younger brother.

"Where's Chris?" Vin asked as he came to a stop at the porch steps.

"Last I saw him he was heading over to the newspaper to talk to Mary."

Vin nodded. "Kevin, go over to the newspaper and tell Chris I need him to come here to the jail."

With a curious look at Sammy and Nancy, Kevin jumped up and ran in the direction of the Clarion. He knew just looking at Vin that he was upset about something. Kevin couldn't help but wonder if whatever had Vin unhappy had something to do with Sammy and his school teacher. But, he couldn't think what they could have done to get into so much trouble.

He slowed to a walk once he reached his destination. Vin may have sent him over here, but he knew Chris wouldn't be too happy if he caught him running down the boardwalk. Kevin pushed open the door to the newspaper office and looked around for Chris. It took him a minute to spot him standing with Mary in a shadowy corner in the far side of the room. In fact, it was Chris's voice that drew Kevin's attention to his location.

"You need something?" Chris asked as he stepped out of the shadows and into the room.

Kevin nodded. "Vin sent me to get you. He needs you over at the jail. Sammy and Miss Bishop are with him."

Chris glanced over at Mary, who had joined him in the center of the room. "Did he say what it was about?" The concern was evidence in both Chris's facial expression and his voice.

"No, sir," Kevin replied. "He just sent me to get you."

A look passed between the two adults that clearly communicated their concern. Mary stepped forward and held her hand out to Kevin. "You must be hungry. I think I've got some cookies left over from the batch I made the other day. Would you like one?"

Chris sent her a silent nod of thanks. His gut was telling him that whatever was going on over at the jail was something Kevin didn't need to be involved in. "I'm sure it's nothing serious," he stated as he moved toward the door. "Kevin, why don't you have a snack then head over to the church."

Kevin readily agreed. He liked Mary's cookies, and Josiah had promised to let him help work on the door frames if he came by one afternoon this week. Kevin had found he really enjoyed doing the simple carpentry work that Josiah allowed him to assist with. He decided that would be a great way to spend the afternoon.

When Chris approached the jail, he spotted J.D. sitting out front. The young man was trying, unsuccessfully, to pretend more interest in his book than what was going on inside. "What's going on?" Chris asked.

"Don't know," J.D. replied, straightening up from his slouch. "Vin hauled Sammy and Miss Bishop in there and sent Kevin to get you. I ain't heard much coming from inside."

Chris nodded and moved past J.D. to enter the building. The moment he entered he immediately spotted Vin leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest and an angry expression on his face. Sammy and Nancy were sitting side by side in chairs set in front of the desk. The tension in the room was palpable. "What's going on?" Chris repeated his question from earlier, sure he wasn't going to like the answer. "Kevin just said you needed me here."

Vin straightened and walked over to stand beside Chris, who had closed the door. "I found these two in Windy Canyon. They had those," he said, pointing to the two guns lying on the desk.

Chris glanced at the two young women and moved over to the desk. He didn't recognize one of the guns. To his experienced eye, it looked nearly brand new – like it had only been purchased recently. The other gun, however, looked familiar. He picked it up and carried it to the gun cabinet located on the far wall. Opening the cabinet, he placed the gun back on its brackets, confirming his suspicion. He knew without a doubt which of the two young women had taken it. Turning back to the two young women, he simply stated, "start talking."

Nancy wasn't sure what Chris meant, but Sammy knew. She glanced at her friend, then turned back to face him. Knowing it would be best for her to come clean rather than attempt to talk her way out of trouble, she shrugged. "We decided that we wanted to do some target practice. So, I borrowed the gun and we rode out to the canyon." _Just the basic facts_, she thought. _No need to go into details._

Chris nodded and turned to Nancy. "What about you?"

Feeling a bit like a small child under the glare of a disapproving parent, she squirmed a little under his hard stare. She had heard about how intimidating Chris Larabee could be. Until now, she had thought the rumors to be exaggerated.

"I'm not sure what you mean?"

Vin started to move forward, but Chris held up his hand. The slight shake of his head clearly told Vin that he would take care of the interrogation. Any repercussions Nancy was to face afterwards would be Vin's responsibility.

"You're a smart young woman, Miss Bishop. I think you know exactly what I mean. Where did you get the gun?"

"I purchased it this morning from the gun and saddle shop. As I told Vin earlier, Mr. Larabee, I would like to have it back."

Sammy inwardly groaned. That was exactly the wrong thing to say to Chris.

Chris moved forward to brace his hands on the arms of Nancy's chair. "And just why did you do that?"

"I wanted one," she responded. "I decided that I might need one for protection. Once I purchased it, I thought I would ride out of town to practice with it. It had been a while since I handled a gun, and I decided I had best familiarize myself with the weapon." She paused, hoping she sounded calm and confident rather than as intimidated as she felt.

Apparently, her response was good enough. Chris took a step back and crossed his arms over his chest. "I know Sammy knew that we didn't want anyone riding out this morning. How about you, Miss Bishop?"

"I had heard something along those lines."

"But you decided to ride out anyway?" Vin asked, coming to stand beside Chris.

Nancy looked at the angry expression on Vin's face. "Yes, I did."

Vin started to move forward with the intention of hauling Nancy to her feet and escorting her to the boarding house where she had a room. However, Chris stopped him.

"We need to talk," Chris stated, looking Vin directly in the eye. He didn't wait to see if the younger man followed him, but stepped out onto the porch. Sammy and Nancy clearly heard him instruct J.D. to make sure they didn't go anywhere.

Several seconds passed in tense silence before Nancy turned to Sammy. "He's not going to . . . ?" She couldn't bring herself to say it. The black-clad man was intimidating at the best of times, and in a temper he was downright scary. Nancy wasn't sure whether or not to be concerned about her friend's safety.

Sammy glanced at the door before replying. "Blister my ass? Oh yeah, I'm pretty sure that's going to happen." She nearly smiled at the look of horror that passed over her friend's face.

"Aren't you a little too old for that?"

Sammy shrugged. "With Chris, I'd say it wouldn't matter if I was sixteen or thirty-six. If I break one of his rules or do something else he doesn't approve of, he's going to tan my hide." She paused, sensing that she might be giving Nancy the wrong idea. "Chris is strict, but he's not unreasonable. He expects me to obey the rules and not put myself in danger. I knew exactly what the consequences would be if I got caught today, and I decided it was worth the risk. I could have said no and tried to talk you out of going." Shrugging, Sammy continued, knowing that the offenses she just named were the very ones that Chris would find objectionable. " I also didn't have to take the gun out of the cabinet."

Nancy wasn't sure what to say to that. She had never been physically chastised. Her parents were rather indulgent, and the few times she had been punished, they had confined her to her room for a day or two. "I can't believe you aren't scared about it. I'd be shaking in my shoes if it were me."

Sammy shrugged again. She was a bit nervous, and she definitely hoped Chris used his hand instead of his belt. "It's not the first, and probably won't be the last." She decided to try and lighten the mood. "Besides, I think J.D. is the only one of the peacekeepers who hasn't at least given me a swat or two."

A very unpleasant thought suddenly occurred to Nancy. She remembered a conversation they'd had in which he'd promised her she wouldn't like the consequences if he ever caught her out riding by herself. She supposed she was about to find out what Vin had been talking about. She didn't suppose Vin would consider Sammy to be adequate company for a ride out of town. "You don't think Vin will . . .?" Again, she couldn't bring herself to finish her sentence.

"Spank you?" This time Sammy did smile at the stricken expression on her friend's face. "I'd be willing to bet that's what he and Chris are talkin' about." She paused, debating telling Nancy about her own trip over Vin's knee. Seeing that her friend really was distressed at the thought, she decided it might help. "I can tell you from experience that it really isn't that bad. I mean, it's not the nicest experience in the world, but it's certainly not the worst."

Nancy's curiosity overrode her concern. "What happened?"

Sammy told her an edited version of how she'd come to live in Four Corners, stating only that she had been in the company of a group of outlaws against her will. "When they wouldn't just let me leave like I wanted, I threw a temper tantrum - made a real mess of Nathan's clinic. Vin walked in on the middle of it. He turned me over his knee and let me have it, after which he made me apologize to Nathan and clean up the mess I'd made. Then he hauled me over to the bathhouse, where Nettie and Casey were waiting to help me get cleaned up." Sammy laughed slightly at the memory, more in embarrassment than amusement. "There was no way I could hide what had happened, especially since my backside was still bright red. I was so embarrassed, especially when Vin announced that he had caused it."

"Vin was in the bathhouse with you?" Nancy was taken back at what was a serious breach of privacy. She wouldn't have thought that of him. He seemed too considerate for something like that. Obviously, she thought, there was more to this story.

Sammy laughed. "It's not what you're thinking. He sat at the other end of the room, with his back to me. I was behind a curtained partition. He wasn't willing to leave me alone in there because I was determined I was going to take off."

"What happened?"

"Well, Chris, Vin, and the other peacekeepers took care of the outlaw gang, and Judge Travis named Chris my legal guardian. The rest, as they say, is history."

While Nancy and Sammy carried on their conversation, Vin followed Chris into the alley beside the jail. "What are you plannin' on doin' about Nancy Bishop?" Chris asked the moment they were out of earshot.

"I guess I'm gonna handle this the same way you would if it were Mary," Vin stated, taking his hat off and smacking it against his thigh in frustration. He was thinking back to what had happened when Mary had intentionally tried to take part in a gun battle, despite Chris's explicit instructions to stay inside and away from danger. Vin was sure Mary would be mortified if she knew.

Chris briefly studied the man who had become one of his closest friends then nodded. "I'm going to give you the same advice Judge Travis gave me. Think about why you want to tan her. If this is just your temper talking, let it go. Especially if this is about what's goin' on between the two of you."

"It ain't about that," Vin stated, starting to pace in an effort to work off some of his temper. "Who knows what coulda happened to them out there. Anybody coulda come along. In fact, we crossed paths with Michael Langdon on the way back." Vin paused and turned back to Chris. "Besides, how are you gonna handle it with Sammy?"

"Oh, I think you know that. But, Sammy and me are a lot different than you and Nancy."

"Yeah, I know, but it ain't right that one gets tanned and the other don't."

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: **I meant to say this in the last chapter, but thanks to everyone who wished me luck with the orchestra. The concert went well, and was made even better because the encore piece we played was a compilation of theme songs from western movies – including _The Magnificent Seven_. Every time we played in (both in rehearsals and in the concert) the opening credits to the television show played in my mind – made it hard to concentrate on what I was supposed to be doing!

Warning: This chapter contains disciplinary spanking. If this offends you, please do not read.

**CHAPTER 5**

The conversation between Sammy and Nancy stopped abruptly as the jail door opened and Chris, followed by Vin, walked in. Chris glanced in Sammy's direction. "Get yourself over to the boarding house." He didn't have to tell her to wait for him in her room.

Sammy shared a looked with Nancy and quietly said, "good luck." She got up and quickly scooted out the door, just in time to avoid the swat that had been aimed at her retreating backside. She didn't even pause to speak to J.D. as she passed him.

Chris watched as Sammy left the room. As the door closed behind her, he moved over to the desk and picked up the gun that still rested there. He studied it for a moment before turning his gaze to Nancy. He held the revolver out to her. Vin started to move forward, but a slight shake of Chris's head told him to stay put.

"You were right about one thing, Miss Bishop. A single woman livin' out here does need protection. But that doesn't mean that you can just ride out whenever you want to or go puttin' yourself in dangerous situations." He glanced over at Vin, who was still standing by the door. The impatience was coming off him in waves. "I got a feelin' Vin's gonna have more to say to you on that subject." Chris nodded at Vin as he passed and exited the jail.

The silence in the room was overwhelming. Nancy glanced down at the gun she still held in her hand, then looked at Vin. "I'm sorry, Vin," she stated. She didn't know what could be accomplished with the apology, but she was willing to give it a try.

Vin nodded. "I appreciate you sayin' that, but that don't make it alright." He moved to lean on the desk, giving his next words a deceptively casual feel. "You put yourself in a dangerous situation. I just cain't let that go." He couldn't say that he cared too much for her for that. "We're gonna have a serious discussion about this." Vin moved forward and grasped Nancy by the arm and pulled her to her feet. "Come on, this is somethin' that's best discussed in private. Let's go to your room at the boardin' house."

Nancy allowed Vin to escort her out the door, not that his grip on her arm gave her a choice. She nodded to J.D. as they passed and realized the look on his face clearly said he'd heard the discussion inside the building. Embarrassed, she looked away. It was bad enough that Chris and Sammy knew what was going to happen. Especially since after her conversation with Sammy, she had no doubt what Vin had meant by saying they were going to have a serious discussion.

When they reached the boarding house, they went straight up to Nancy's room. Vin closed the door and looked around at Nancy's living space. The room was small, but it was colorfully decorated. A patchwork quilt covered the bed, with bright throw pillows tossed on top. A small rocking chair sat in the corner. A chest of drawers sat on the wall opposite the bed, and a small desk stood by the doorway. Stacks of books sat on the desk and the chest of drawers.

Vin glanced at Nancy, where she stood in front of the window. He wasn't sure quite how to go about this. He knew how he would handle it with Kevin, but this situation was different. This was a grown woman he was dealing with, not a little boy.

Sighing heavily, he gestured for Nancy to have a seat on the side of the bed. When she sat, he paced the room for a moment before turning to look at her. "You wanna tell me what you were thinkin' today, ridin' out like that?" he demanded, coming to stand in front of her.

The angry tone in Vin's voice sent Nancy's own temper soaring. She stood, wanting to confront him on her feet rather than allowing him to intimidate her by remaining seated. "I was not riding alone, and I did have a gun. I know how to use it, so I was adequately protected."

Vin wasn't overly tall, but he was still several inches in height over Nancy. He used that difference to his advantage by moving into her personal space. "Ridin' out with Sammy ain't much better than ridin' alone, and that gun wouldn't a been a whole heap of a lot of help if'n there'd been more than one person wantin' to cause you trouble. All somebody had to do was come up behind while you were dealing with the person in front of you."

Trying to get a reign on his temper before he said something he'd regret, Vin turned away from Nancy and stalked the short distance to the far corner of the room. He turned back to study her a moment before continuing, "you're a smart woman, Nancy. I already done told you not to go ridin' out on yer own. And we posted signs all over town this mornin' lettin' ever'body know not to go ridin' out. There ain't no way you coulda missed 'em. You just chose to ignore the warning." He paused to stare out the window for a moment, considering his next words carefully. "You know better than to do anything so foolish, or to think I'd let you get away with it."

"Just what gives you the right to dictate what I can or cannot do?" Nancy crossed her arms over her chest, clearly communicating her stubborn resolve.

Vin moved forward to grasp Nancy's upper arms. He was tempted to shake her and hoped the internal war his emotions were waging didn't show on his face. "I care about you," he finally admitted. He couldn't believe he had just said that, but decided to push on. "I don't want to see you hurt."

"Well, you've had a funny way of showing it," Nancy stated. She tried to pull out of Vin's grasp, but his grip on her arms was too strong.

"I care more than you'll ever know." Vin let Nancy go and turned his back to her so she couldn't see the emotions welling up in his eyes. "But I ain't the right man for you, Nancy. I ain't good enough."

Nancy was taken aback. Of all the things for Vin to say, she hadn't been expecting that, and she wasn't about to let it stand. "What you mean you aren't good enough for me?" She grasped his arm and tried to turn him to face her. When Vin didn't budge, she moved to stand in front of him.

"You're used to livin' a life of privilege, growin' up on that horse farm. Me, I grew up poor, doin' whatever I had to just to get by. Hell," he stated, shaking his head, "I never even went to school, and here you are – a school teacher."

Nancy reached up and cupped Vin's face in the palm of her hand. "Vin, our pasts helped to shape who we are, but our pasts don't control us. It's who we are today that matters. If I wanted to be treated like a china doll, placed on a pedestal to be admired, I would have stayed in Kentucky. I want to see the world and have adventure. I can't think of anyplace I'd rather be or anyone else I'd rather have show me that."

Vin signed heavily. He saw trust and caring reflected in her eyes. He only hoped she still felt that way after he did what he felt he needed to do. "You gotta pull in yer horns and stop lookin' for trouble." He led her over to the bed and sat down. "I don't wanna have to do this," he said as he pulled Nancy face down across his lap, "but you're gonna have to learn to think before you do somethin' that puts you in danger. Today you were lucky it was me that found you, next time you might not be so lucky."

"Vin, wait," Nancy started to say, but a sharp slap to her upturned backside caused her to gasp in surprise. The thick cotton trousers she was wearing provided surprisingly little protection against Vin's hand as it continued to rain punishing swats down on her posterior. Soon, her backside was on fire, and she found herself begging for Vin to stop. She was willing to promise him anything to end the punishment. Finally, when Nancy gave a racking sob and lay limp across his lap, Vin gave her one final swat to her sit spot.

"Are you going to ride out by yourself again?" he asked.

"No." Her voice was so filled with tears he almost didn't understand her.

"You gonna do what I tell you and not doing anything else to put yourself in danger?"

She wasn't sobbing nearly as hard now, so her "no" in response was a bit easier to understand.

"Good," Vin stated, helping her to her feet. "I don't want to have to do that again, but I will if I gotta." He pulled her into her arms and cradled her against his chest, allowing her to cry herself out. When he felt her start to pull back, he looked down into her eyes and was relieved to see the trust and affection still there underneath the tears "You're too smart to keep goin' off half cocked."

Across town, Sammy had just plopped down on her bed when Chris stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. She watched as he pulled the chair away from her desk and straddled it.

Chris didn't say anything. Rather, he just sat there and studied Sammy like she was a bug under a magnifying glass. Finally, when she couldn't stand the scrutiny any longer, she jumped to her feet. "I'm sorry, okay? Is that what you're waiting on?" Not that she was looking forward to what was going to happen, but she wished Chris would stop beating the devil around the stump and get it over with. Sometimes the waiting was worse than the actual punishment.

Chris glared and inclined his head in the direction of her bed. He waited until she sat back down before speaking. "Just what are you sorry for?"

Sammy sighed. She should have known that he was going to make her list all the reasons he was going to tan her hide. She'd gotten caught in this trap more than once and had confessed to something Chris hadn't even been aware she'd done. Maybe that was why he used it so often.

She paused to think a moment, but Chris was growing impatient. "Well?"

Scooting back so that she rested against the wall, Sammy picked up a pillow an hugged it to her chest. "I rode out with Nancy, when I knew you all thought it was too dangerous. And I borrowed the gun from the jail. Although, you never said I couldn't do that," she quickly added.

Chris nodded and stood. He returned the straight-back chair to its proper place in front of the small desk and moved to sit on the side of the bed. "And what do you think I should do about that? You put yourself in danger, and you know how I feel about that."

Sammy nodded, tears already starting to form in her eyes.

Chris continued, "I might not have ever said that you couldn't handle a gun. Like I told Miss Bishop, you have a right to defend yourself if you are in danger. But, that doesn't give you the right to take a gun from the cabinet without permission. That's stealing."

A tense moment of silent passed before Chris held out his hand for Sammy's. Knowing what was coming, Sammy placed her delicate hand in his large, rough one, and allowed him to pull her forward until she stood beside the bed.

"You've taken responsibility for what you've done. I'm proud of you for that. But you still have to face the consequences."

"Yes, sir," Sammy said quietly.

With that, Chris guided Sammy across his lap. As soon as she was settled, he began covering her backside with sharp, painful swats. Figuring they'd discussed everything that needed to be said, Chris didn't lecture as he spanked. Instead, he let the flat of his hand do the talking for him. It didn't take long before Sammy's backside was on fire and she was sobbing. After a final volley of swats, Chris rubbed circles on her back until her breathing started to even out. Helping her stand, he pulled her into his arms for a hug.

"I don't want to catch you doing that again, you understand me?"

"Yes, sir," Sammy answered into Chris's shirt.

"I hope you do. I let you off easy this time because you took responsibility for what you did. But, if you ever do anything like that again, I'll use my belt."

Sammy gave an involuntary shudder and nodded.

XxxxxX

"Kevin!"

Kevin was on his way to the church when he heard his name being called. He turned around and spotted Matthew Harper, one of his friends from school, standing by the coral outside the livery stable. Altering his course, Kevin went to join his friend.

"Whatta you doin?"

"My pa had to come into town to get some horseshoes from Tiny, and he brought me with him." Matthew indicated the coral behind him. "I heard Tiny talking about the new horses Yosemite bought. He said one 'a them is still wild. I wanted to some look at him. You reckon that's him?" he asked, pointing to a solid black stallion who had a smaller fenced off area in the coral to himself.

"I guess so," Kevin said, his intentions of going to help Josiah at the church completely forgotten. He'd been wanting to get a look at Yosemite's new horses himself, but had yet had the chance. He figured now was the perfect time. "We won't know until we go look, will we?"

"Nope," Matthew replied. "Come on, let's go!"

The two boys raced to the coral and clambered up the split log fence that formed the coral. They were sitting on the top rail, trying to coax the horse to them when Nathan exited the stable.

"Boys, you need ta get away from that there horse, now. He's a mean one."

"Aw, Nathan," Kevin replied. "We were just lookin' at him." Matthew nodded in agreement.

"Well, look at him from down on the ground." Nathan started up the steps to his clinic. "I mean it." He had reached the landing and had started up the second flight of wooden stairs when a child's cry of fear sent ice water running through his veins. He quickly turned and raced back down the stairs.

Kevin stood on the ground, a couple of feet back from the coral fence. Matthew, on the other hand, was lying still inside the coral. The massive black horse was standing over top him.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

Ezra had just stepped into his horse's stall in the livery stable when he heard Kevin's screams. He had seen the two boys sitting on the coral fence and had heard Nathan's instructions, but thought nothing of them. At the sound of the scream, however, he quickly ran outside, reaching Kevin just as Nathan reached the coral fence.

Ezra knelt in front of the boy and grasped him by the shoulders. "Tell me what happened," he demanded.

Kevin was shaking with fear, and it took him a moment to find his voice. "We were getting' down off the fence like Nathan told us and Matthew fell." He sniffed, trying to hold back tears. "And the horse came runnin' up. I thought he was gonna trample 'em, but instead he's been standin' over 'em like that," he said, gesturing toward the large black animal.

They both looked over to where Nathan was slowly crossing the coral to the fallen boy. The large black stallion stood over him, front hoofs planted on either side of the small prone body. The healer's eyes met those of the animal and was surprised to see intelligence and, if he wasn't mistaken, concern.

The animal watched as Nathan slowly moved closer. He must have sensed that the large man was there to help. As Nathan neared, the stallion carefully stepped back so that he no longer stood over the boy. When the animal was clear, he moved to the far side of the coral.

By the time Nathan reached him, Matthew was starting to stir. The healer glanced over at the stallion before kneeling down beside the boy. He couldn't shake the feeling that the horse had been protecting the child. Turning to examine Matthew, he filed that information away in his subconscious to examine later.

By then, Matthew had fully regained consciousness and was trying to set up. Nathan placed a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder and held him down. "Don't try and sit up yet, I need to take a look at you first." Turning to look at the bystanders, he saw Ezra crouched beside Kevin. He also saw a teenage boy standing nearby. "Jesse, run over to the general store and get Matthew's father." Nathan had seen the man entering the establishment as he was climbing the stairs to his clinic. The boy started to move, but paused at Nathan's additional words. "If we're not down here when you get back, we'll be up in the clinic." Jesse nodded and took off at a run. 

"Now, Matthew," he said, turning back to the boy, "you hurtin' anywhere?" Nathan gently ran his hands over the boy's body, looking for any signs of injury. When Matthew insisted he was okay, Nathan only nodded. He stood and lifted the boy into his arms. "Come, let's go up to the clinic so I can take a closer look at you." Matthew started to protest, but quickly went silent at the look the healer gave him.

"Is Matthew going to be okay," Kevin asked as Nathan passed. The fear and worry was evident in his voice.

"He'll be just fine," Nathan responded. "I just want to take a closer look at him to make sure nothing's wrong."

Ezra glanced down at Kevin. "Why don't I escort you back to the boarding house. It is getting close to time for lunch, and you wouldn't want to be late for your meal." Something about Kevin's body language made the gambler suspicious. "That is, unless you are supposed to be someplace else."

Kevin shrugged. "I was supposed to go over to the church to help Josiah. Vin took Sammy and Miss Bishop into the jail and sent me to get Chris," he stated. His voice carried a slight hint of confusion. "I don't know what it was about, but Vin wasn't too happy with 'em. Chris suggested that after I ate the cookie Mary gave me that I go over to the church and help Josiah. So, I guess I'd best go there."

Ezra exchanged a look with Nathan, who just shrugged before making his way to the stairs leading up to the clinic. Neither of them had heard anything about the two young women being in trouble, but was exactly what it sounded like. "Well, then," he stated, straightening as he dusted dirt off his pants legs, "I suppose I had best escort you to Mr. Sanchez." Ezra gave a sweeping gesture in the direction of the church. "Shall we go?" Kevin giggled at the mannerism and eagerly slipped his hand into Ezra's.

XxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxxX XxxxxxX

Sammy tried not to wince as she sat on the hard wooden dining room chair that evening. Apparently, she wasn't completely successful as she caught the knowing smirk on first Chris's, then Vin's faces. Only Kevin's presence kept her from saying something that probably would have gotten her into trouble.

"Heard you had yourself some excitement at the coral today," Chris said to Kevin as he buttered a biscuit.

Kevin swallowed hard, the bite of stew he'd just taken felt like a boulder going down his throat. He hadn't considered that he'd get in trouble for being at the coral. "Matthew and I were just lookin' at the black horse. We got down when Nathan told us to. It weren't Matthew's fault he fell." The boy looked at first Vin and then Chris through his eyelashes, attempting to gauge the men's reactions.

"Look at me, son," Chris instructed, putting the biscuit on his plate. When Kevin obeyed, he continued. "You aren't in trouble. You're right, it was an accident when Matthew fell into that coral." He smiled at the look of relief that crossed the boy's face, quickly followed by questioning look. Chris could almost see the words "then why did you bring it up" pass through his head.

"We are curious, though," Vin interrupted, "why that horse acted the way it did. Why don't you tell us what happened."

"Well, when we were sittin' on the fence, that horse was on the far side 'a the coral. We wanted him to come to us so we could pet 'em, but he was ignorin' us." Kevin shrugged. "When Nathan came outta the stable and told us to get down, Matthew fell. I don't know how it happened. We were climbin' down, and the next thing I knew he was lyin' on the ground." Kevin took a sip of his milk, enjoying being the center of attention as he told his story. "The horse came over, and I thought he was gonna hurt Matthew. Instead, he nudged Matthew's shoulder with his head. When Matthew didn't move, he just moved to stand over him and didn't move again until Nathan went into the coral to get Matthew."

Chris and Vin shared a look. The story Kevin had related to them matched what Nathan and Ezra had said. They had both seen horses protect their owners, but neither of them had ever seen one protect a stranger.

Kevin glanced at the two men he had come to think of as his father and a favorite uncle. He was a little confused. Neither of them looked upset or angry, as he'd expected. Instead, they almost looked curious. He wondered if that meant he'd be able to go look at the large black horse again, and maybe pet it.

His hopes were quickly dashed when Vin spoke. "I don't want you around that horse unless one 'a us is with you." Vin studied the boy's face and saw the disappointment written there. He also knew the boy he'd come to think of as a son. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," Kevin responded reluctantly. Pouting, he turned his attention back to his dinner.

Chris let the boy wallow in his perceived misery for a few minutes before stating, "that rodeo's comin' to town this weekend." Turning to Vin he continued, "We're gonna need to increase patrols and keep a good look out for any trouble."

Vin nodded. It seemed like every time something like this rodeo came into town they ended up with more problems than they could handle. That was probably an exaggeration, but he wondered how a town with a single sheriff managed it. "Maybe we'll be lucky this time, and folks will behave themselves for once."

"Don't count on it," Chris replied.

XxxxxxxX XxxxxxxX XxxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX

The next morning Sammy met Nancy outside the school house. They always tried to arrive at the building at least an hour before school was scheduled to start. "How are you?" Sammy asked.

Nancy knew the other young woman well enough to know exactly what Sammy was getting at. She resisted the urge to rub her backside. "I'm still a little tender, but I'll live. How about you?"

"The same. Chris didn't come down on me as hard as I thought he would." Sammy glanced in the direction of the jail, where Chris had gone after breakfast. "Still, I think I'll behave myself for a while." She smiled and turned back to look at Nancy. "What about you? Did Vin convince you to see the error of your ways?"

Nancy pushed the schoolhouse door open and entered the building. She wasn't sure what she should tell her friend about her relationship with Vin. Vin was such a private person, she knew he wouldn't necessarily appreciate their business being aired in public. Lighting a candle to use to light the oil lamps placed around the large room, she turned back to Sammy. "Having never dealt with Vin in a temper before, I don't have anything to compare yesterday to. However, I get the feeling it could have been much worse." Nancy gave a light laugh. "I think you're right. It's probably best that we behave ourselves – at least for a while." Having lit all of the lamps, she blew out the candle and replaced in the box with the matches. "Vin and I did work some things out. I'm hoping we'll be able to attend at least some of the rodeo together."

"From the way he and Chris were talking at dinner last night, they expect to be pretty business with their peacekeeper duties once the rodeo gets here. But, I have a feeling they'll both make time to attend at least part of it." She smiled, knowing that not only would Chris be sure to make time for Mary, but Vin would make time for both Kevin and Nancy. "Kevin is so excited about it that he can barely sit still, and I'm not sure he even knows what a rodeo is all about."

Nancy nodded and moved to her desk. The sound of children playing was starting to filter into the room as students were beginning to arrive in the school yard. "I expect Kevin isn't the only one. The peacekeepers aren't the only one who will have their hands full this week. The children will probably be bouncing off the walls." Smiling at the thought, Nancy continued, "Let me know if you still want to be a teacher after this week is over."

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: **I'm sorry it's taken me so long to post this chapter and that it's so short. I've been having a terrible case of writer's block. I'm not completely happy with what I've written, but I decided to go ahead and post it since beating my head against what feels like a brick wall is only giving me a headache.

**CHAPTER 7**

Kevin, Billy, and a few other boys from town were playing marbles in the alley beside the jail after school on Thursday. "What do you think the rodeo will be like?" Kevin asked as he watched Matthew study the playing field for his next shot. Matthew was the reigning marbles champion among their group and was determined to keep his title.

"A show came to town a while back," Billy stated. "They had a guy you could race with for a chance to win a rifle. Buck tried to beat him, but the guy did something to Buck's horse. Another guy did some fancy tricks with a gun. He didn't shoot near as good as Chris or Vin, though."

Billy fell into silence as Matthew took his shot. He couldn't help the grin that crossed his face as Matthew's shooting marble failed to knock any marbles out of the circle and remained inside the playing field. It was his turn next, and if he could knock Matthew's shooting marble out of the circle, he'd get to claim it and all of the marbles that Matthew had won in the game.

"Ain't nobody can shoot as good as Vin or Chris," Kevin stated authoritatively. Despite having lived in Four Corners for such a short period of time, he considered himself an expert on the subject. "Well, maybe Buck or Ezra." He really hadn't seen any of the peacekeepers shoot that much, but he wasn't going to admit that. Besides, his friends were too much in awe of the seven men to argue otherwise.

Kevin's attention turned back to the game when he heard Matthew's groan and Billy's shout of triumph. He grinned as Billy scooped up Matthew's marbles and moved them into his own pile. It looked that Matthew's reign might just be coming to an end.

XxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX

Chris stepped into the jail and closed the door. Vin was slouched in a chair in front of the desk while Buck was seated behind it with his feet propped up on its surface.

"Either 'a you know were the boys are?" Ever since the incident earlier in the week with the black stallion, the peacekeepers had chased the group of friends away from the corral more than once. The last time had ended with a promise of sore backsides if the boys were caught there again. Chris didn't expect the threat to be a deterrent for long.

"They were playin' marbles out in the alley when I came in a bit ago," Buck replied. "You need 'em for something?"

"Nope, just a little concerned that they might decide to test their luck. Kevin and Matthew got lucky, but that horse could turn on 'em the next time." Chris tossed his hat on the desk. He dragged another chair over to the desk and sat down.

"What's really eatin' you?" Vin asked. His easy, relaxed posture belied his sudden sense of concern. "I know it's gotta be more than those boys out there."

Chris shared a look with his two closest friends. "Rodeo's late getting here from Snellville. They were supposed to be here yesterday."

Buck laughed. To his mind, Chris tended to worry too much about things. "Ain't like you to be such a mother hen, Chris. They probably just underestimated their travel time or stayed later in Snellville than they'd planned. Hell, we've had a good bit of rain lately, so the river might be running a bit high. Waiting until it goes down some to cross it would delay 'em awhile."

"Well," Vin stated as he rubbed his hand over his chin. He gave a brief thought to the fact that he needed to shave, but quickly dismissed it as too much trouble. "That army major who passed through here last week mentioned a band 'a renegade Indians and outlaws who were raidin' and attackin' travelers out in that area."

"Yeah, but with the number 'a men who've gotta be ridin' with 'em, who'd be foolish enough to take 'em on," Buck countered.

"I don't know, Buck. My gut's tellin' me something ain't right." Chris ran his hand through his hair in frustration. He knew the group wasn't his problem or his responsibility until they arrived in Four Corners, but he'd long since learned to listen when his gut tried to tell him something.

"Well, no sense worryin' about it until we know for sure," Buck replied as he stood and stretched. "I think I'm gonna wander over to the saloon for a spell." Inez had a new barmaid working for her, and Buck had been trying to charm her into bed. So far, he hadn't had much luck, which only challenged him even more.

Chris watched as Buck left the jail and turned to look at Vin. Scooping his hat up off the desk, he too headed for the door. "I'm gonna send a telegram to Snellville. Find out when they left."

Across town, several of the women, including Mary, Nancy, and Sammy, were meeting at the Grain Exchange. They were making final plans for the dance that would be held there on Saturday night as part of the town's festivities surrounding the rodeo. The women saw the rodeo as the perfect excuse to get together and have a party, and the dance would be open to anyone who wanted to come.

"Has Vin asked you to do to the dance with him yet?" Sammy asked Nancy. The two young women were ignoring the increasingly heated debate between Agnes Simpson and Viola Roberts over were the refreshment table would be set up. At the last meeting, the two women had argued over whose punch recipe would be used.

"He didn't ask me, but me told me he'd pick me up at my boarding house at 6:00." Nancy sighed. She knew Vin was courting her, but she would have preferred to have been asked rather than told she would be attending the dance with him, and she said so to Sammy. "I could tell from his voice that he doesn't really want to go," she continued. "He's just doing it because he figured I'd want to attend. Besides, he and the other men are going to take turns patrolling the town to make sure there aren't too many problems." Suddenly, Nancy's eyes began to sparkle with mischief. "How about you? Has anyone asked to escort you to the dance?"

Sammy smiled. "Liam O'Malley asked me this afternoon. I can't believe he got up the nerve to ask me. He always seemed a bit nervous around Chris."

"What young man wouldn't be nervous? You've got an infamous gunslinger with a hair trigger on his temper looking after you." Nancy had heard all about Chris Larabee's reputation from the gossip that flew around town any time there was trouble. "It takes a brave man to be willing to do that."

Sammy shrugged. She, too, was well aware of Chris's reputation and his temper. Neither of them phased her. She had come to love and respect the man who had taken her into his heart and his home. "I suppose," she responded. Although she had accepted Liam's invitation, her heart didn't race at the thought of stepping out with him. "I haven't told Chris yet, but I'm sure he won't mind. Do you think he's asked Mary to go with him?"

"I don't know," Nancy responded. "I'd be surprised if he hasn't." Both young women, like most of the other people in Four Corners, were well aware of the gunman's feelings for the newspaper woman. "Think we should ask her?"

"Let's wait until after the meeting and ask her on the way back to the _Clarion._"

XxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX

Late the next morning Chris was making his way to the saloon from the jail when a large group of riders coming into town drew his attention. He watched as a rider broke off from the group and dismounted in front of the jail while the remainder continued on their way to the edge of town. Chris retraced his steps.

"Can I help you with something?"

"Sure, can you tell me where to find the sheriff?" the other man asked, looping the reins of his horse over the hitching post.

"I'm Chris Larabee. I'm not the sheriff, but me and my friends are the law around here. Who are you?"

The other man reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a folded stack of papers. "I'm Virgil Temple, the manager of the Great Western Rodeo." He handed the stack of papers to Chris.

Chris glanced over the paperwork, which included the agreement between the rodeo's management and the group of business owners who had arranged for the show's performance. "We expected you two days ago."

"Yeah, well the river flooded from the recent rain. We had to wait until it went down some before we could cross. We'll still stay the week we promised, but I need to send a telegram on to Silver City, our next destination. Let them know we're gonna be delayed." He accepted the paperwork back from Chris. "In the meantime, where do you want up to set up camp?"

Chris pointed in the direction of the telegraph office. "You can sent your telegram from there. We've arranged for you to set up camp on the south edge of town. That suit you?"

"That works just fine for me." Temple moved to unhitch his horse. He would see to setting up camp then come back into town to send the telegram.

Chris watched as the other man rode off. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to go wrong. He had thought it was whatever had delayed the rodeo, but that turned out not to be the cause – that was unless Temple had been less than honest with him. But he hadn't gotten that kind of feeling while talking to the other man. Shrugging, he turned to head toward the saloon. Whatever was causing his gut to churn would reveal itself sooner or later. There was nothing he could do about it until that happened.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8**

Ezra was whistling quietly as he exited the livery stable. He'd just spent a very pleasant half hour in conversation with Yosemite about the horses the stable owner had recently purchased. The gambler was especially intrigued by the magnificent black stallion he had heard so much about. Ezra didn't mention anything to Yosemite, but he knew Chris was planning to strike a bargain with the livery owner for the horse.

His attention was immediately grabbed by the young woman standing just inside the corral fence. Despite the fact that she was wearing pants and a work shirt, there was little doubt as to her gender. Her curvy figure was clearly evident, and her long brunette hair hung down her back. She was standing at one end of the enclosure, and the huge black animal was standing at the other. Even from that distance, Ezra could sense the horse's agitation.

"Miss," Ezra stated as he approached. "I suggest you vacate that corral. That animal," he continued, gesturing toward the horse, "is rather dangerous."

"Oh, he won't hurt me," the young woman replied as she took another step into the corral. Ezra watched as the stallion nervously pawed the dusty ground at her advance. The animal's actions belied her next words. "I raised him from a colt. He was stolen from me three years or so ago." She turned to look at Ezra. "Imagine my surprise when I saw him here." She saw the skepticism in the gambler's eyes. "I guess it's been long enough that he doesn't remember me. He's always been sweet natured," she stated, shrugging. "But, he's not the smartest horse I've ever seen."

Ezra didn't quite buy the girl's explanation. Even the dimmest of horses would remember a beloved mistress, especially one who had raised him. "Young woman, I suggest you do not attempt to con me. I am one of the best there is," Ezra said immodestly. "Now, I really must insist that you vacate that corral this instant." When the young woman didn't move, he took several steps toward her. "I will assist you, if I must." He watched as she climbed over the fence and jump to the ground.

Ezra kept an eye on the young woman as he turned to a young teenage boy standing nearby. "Mr. Anderson, could you come here, please." He waited until the boy approached. "Run and fetch Mr. Larabee from the saloon and ask him to come here."

"What's the problem here, Ez?" Chris asked as he walked up to where the sharply dressed gambler stood with a young woman he'd never seen before. Chris was quickly followed by Josiah, who had been eating lunch with the gunman when the boy had come.

The young woman standing beside Ezra took a step back. Neither man missed the fact that Ezra grasped her by the upper arm and pulled her to stand beside him. "This young woman claims to be the owner of that magnificent animal."

Chris pinned the young woman with a glare. "Who are you, and what proof do you have?" He knew Yosemite would have only bought the horse if Luther Gibbs, the horse trader, had had a bill of sale showing his right to sell the animal. Chris had been in the livery stable more than once when the stable owner had turned down an offer to purchase some prime horse flesh when the seller didn't have proof of ownership.

The young woman pulled her arm out of Ezra's grasp and sent the gambler a dirty look. "My name is Adella Temple."

"Temple?" Chris questioned. "You come in with the rodeo?"

Adella nodded affirmatively. "Virgil Temple is my father." She glanced over at the corral and the horse standing at the far side. The animal remained on alert, wary about what was happening.

Chris studied the young woman for a long moment. As he studied her, Josiah stepped to the corral fence and gave a soft whistle to get the stallion's attention. The horse raised his head at the sound, and seeing who had called him, quickly moved to the fence. The group watched as the horse butted his massive head against the large man's chest and then stood quietly while Josiah scratches his ears.

"I swear if a horse could purr like a cat, that one would be doing it," remarked Chris. "Okay. Why should I believe you're the owner of a horse that doesn't even seem to recognize you?"

Adella sighed. She hadn't expected this to be so difficult. "I decided to explore the town a bit. I do that at every stop we make. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Raven over there in the corral." She glanced over at the horse again. The stallion was responding more to the large man who was gently rubbing his nose than he had to her. She repeated what she had told Ezra. "I told your friend, here, that I raised Raven from a colt. He was stolen from our camp about three years ago." She returned her gaze to the two men standing across from her, trying to gauge what their reaction would be. "Who would I see about getting him back?"

"Josiah, go in the stable and get Yosemite," Chris called over his shoulder. "I'm not convinced that horse was ever yours," he stated, turning back to Adella. "I'm sure we can get this straightened out, one way or the other."

Several minutes passed in tense silence before Josiah and the stable owner emerged from the shadowy depths of the building. Yosemite was carrying a brown leather packet. Josiah had informed him about what Adella was claiming, and he was prepared to prove his ownership of the horse.

When the two men reached the small group, Chris introduced Adella and recanted her story. "Well, now," Yosemite said, rubbing a hand over his chin. "I've been doin' business with Luther Gibbs for a good long while now. His daddy might 'a been a chiseler, but Luther, he's as honest as the day is long." Yosemite opened the leather packet and pulled out a bill of sale. On it was written the ownership history of the horse, showing that Gibbs had purchased it from one Abraham Bingham. Written in the same hand was a notation that Abraham Bingham had claimed to had purchased the animal from someone by the name of Thomas Rodgers almost four years before.

Chris looked the document over, then handed it to Josiah. Josiah reviewed the information and passed the bill of sale onto the Ezra, who finally handed it to Adella.

"I don't care this document says," she said as she folded it and slapped it back into Yosemite's hand. "That horse was stolen from me a year or so ago."

The peacekeepers shared a looked, and Chris stepped forward. "You ain't convinced us of that. Yosemite, here has papers proving the horse is his, bought and paid for. Now, we can wire the circuit judge and have him straighten this out. Depending on where he's at right now, it could take awhile for him to get here." He ignored the glare the young woman sent his way. "Other than that, you'd best let it go."

Adella Temple looked at the men standing around her. She knew the argument was lost, at least for the moment. "This isn't over," she stated, turning to stalk off in the direction of the rodeo camp.

Chris grasped her arm as she passed, halting Adella's progress. "You'd best watch yourself, young woman. You've been told your options – let it go or let Judge Travis decide. You try anything else, girl or not, you'll be spending some time in my jail cell. You understand me?"

Adella pulled her arm out of Chris's grasp and returned the black-clad gunman's glare. She wasn't about to let him know how much he intimidated her. "I will do as I see fit to get my property back, Mr. Larabee." She turned on her heel and stalked off, not pausing to look back.

"Well, hell," Chris responded. He removed his hat and ran his free had through his dark blond hair. Something told him this was what had his gut in such an uproar – at least he hoped nothing else was going to go wrong. Turning to Yosemite, he stated, "If I were you, I'd plan on moving that horse inside the stable instead of leavin' him in the corral. It won't stop her from tryin' anything, but it'll make it harder on her to get at 'im."

XxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX

That evening, Chris sat on the front porch of the boarding house. He was dressed in his good trousers and shirt, and his hair was slicked back. His hat was perched on his knee, and he was using his large belt knife to clean and trim his fingernails.

"When you plannin' on picking Mary up for the dance?" Vin asked as he crossed the porch on his way to collect Nancy. He watched briefly as Kevin bounced with impatience at the foot of the stairs.

"After Liam comes for Sammy."

"I'm a bit surprised you don't have your gun out," Vin stated, jokingly. He knew exactly what Chris was planning.

"I thought about it. But I figured this would make a bigger impact." Chris grinned. "Thought I'd show him what I'll be using if he gets out of line."

Vin laughed. "That'd do it." He was still grinning when he descended the porch steps and placed a hand on Kevin's shoulder. "Come on, let's go."

The boy in question stepped onto the wooden porch moments later. Chris rose and opened the door. "Sammy, Liam is here," he shouted up the stairs. He sat back down and resumed grooming his finger nails. Several seconds passed in tense silence for Chris looked pointedly at Liam as he sheathed the knife. "I don't suppose I've gotta tell you to watch yourself tonight, do I?"

Liam shallowed hard. "No sir."

"You're to stay inside in plain sight and keep your hand to yourself, and we won't have any problems."

At that moment, Sammy stepped outside. Liam nearly swallowed his tough at the sight of his date. She was wearing a dress of deep green that was fitted to the waist, where it swept out in a lace covered skirt. The deep color complimented her auburn hair, which fell in curls around her shoulders.

"You look beautiful," Chris stated. He had to fight the urge to order back inside to change into something that didn't fit her quite so well. Chris stood and placed a kiss on her brow. "Remember what I told you."

"I will," Sammy responded as she reached up to straighten a crease in Chris's collar. "You go get Mary. You've kept her waiting long enough."

Chris watched as the two teenagers joined the other couples and groups of people making their way toward the Grain Exchange. He settled his hat on his head and stepped off the porch steps onto the street. He was half-way to the _Clarion_ when he heard someone calling his name. He turned to see Virgil Temple rushing toward him.

"Hell," Chris stated succinctly. This was the last thing he needed.

"Mr. Larabee, could I speak with you a moment?"

"Make it quick," Chris responded impatiently.

Temple took a deep breath. This was going to be harder than he expected, and he briefly thought about cutting his losses and letting the matter go. "I understand my daughter talked to you this morning about a horse."

"She did," Chris responded. "I'll tell you the same thing I told her. I'm not convinced that horse was ever hers. She can either let it go or present her case to the judge. I can send him a telegram, and it'll take him about two weeks to get here."

"Surely there's some other option," Temple started. "Maybe we could make a deal with the stable owner. I understand he recently purchased the horse from a trader."

"That's between you and Yosemite." Chris gave the other man a hard look. "If anything happens to that horse, I know where I'm gonna start looking for answers? You understand me?"

"Yes, sir. Your meaning is perfectly clear." Temple took a step back and tipped his hat. "I hope you have a good evening." He turned on his heel and walked away.

Chris watched the man walk away until he was out of sight. His gut was telling that something more was going on than just that horse. He'd deal with it later. For now, he'd put it out of his mind and enjoy the evening with a beautiful woman at his side.

TBC

Author's Note: Adella Temple's story is based on suggestions posted by Ladynwaiting. Also, I owe a big "thank you" to Gaben for answering the questions I had about horses. That helped a lot in bringing this chapter together.

I know I've been slow posting lately, but real life has been busy. And, it's about to get busier, so I'm not going to have a whole lot of writing time. It might take a while, but I'll post the next chapter as soon as I can.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note:** I had a number of people message me about the mistakes in the last chapter. I suppose I should wait until I don't have an upper respiratory infection to proof read my work. Anyway, I tried to correct the inconsistencies and errors that were pointed out to me. Thankfully, I'm feeling better now, so hopefully this chapter is in a bit better shape.

**CHAPTER 9**

As Chris made his way to the entrance to Mary's and Billy's living quarters at the back of the _Clarion_ building he watched the townspeople making their own way to the Grain Exchange. The women were wearing their best dresses, and the men were dressed in clean, neatly pressed trousers and shirts. Many of the children were also wearing their best Sunday attire, and he briefly wondered how many of those children would have their best clothing dirty by the end of the night. It seemed the entire town was going to attend the party being held in honor of the rodeo.

Chris was no exception. He was wearing black dress pants and a dark red linen shirt under a black vest. It happened to be the nicest set of clothing he owned.

He couldn't help but smile at the sight that greeted his knock on the Travis' back door. The door opened to reveal Billy, who was wearing the suit he always traveled in. One look at his face clearly said that he would have preferred to be in his more comfortable play clothes. "Momma said to tell you she'll be ready in just a minute." Billy stepped back out of the doorway. "You can come in and wait if you want."

Chris followed the young boy into the sitting room. He was there only a moment before movement at the doorway caught his attention. He turned to watch Mary walk into the room. Chris's mouth went dry and his blood turned hot at the sight of her. She was dressed in a dark green dress he had seen her wearing to a previous dance. It may have been an older dress, but it still fit her perfectly.

"You clean up well, Mr. Larabee," she stated as she bent to straighten Billy's collar. She straightened and turned to smile at the blond man.

Chris swallowed hard, trying to find his voice, as it had suddenly seemed to be absent. "You clean up pretty well, yourself, Mrs. Travis." He stepped forward to rest his hand at the small of her back, urging her toward the door. "We should get going."

As the small group made their way down the street to the Grain Exchange, Mary watched as Billy ran ahead. Turning to Chris, she stated, "Ezra told me about the problem with Yosemite's new horse. Do you think it really could have been stolen from that girl?"

"I don't know," Chris responded. "Horses don't have the greatest memories. So even if she did raise him, he might not remember her." He shrugged. "I've sent telegraphs to the men listed on the bill of sale Luther Gibbs gave Yosemite." He glanced over at Mary as he continued, "I've also sent telegraphs to the other towns where the rodeo has been, to see if they caused any problems."

"You think they're trying to con that horse out of Yosemite?" Mary didn't know why that surprised her.

"I don't know," Chris admitted. "Something about it doesn't feel right. Even if that horse was stolen from her three years ago, I ain't sure she'd have the right to get him back." He removed his hat and ran his hand through his hair, as he often did when he was frustrated. "Something tells me we haven't seen the end of this yet.

"Well, Oren was planning on coming in on the stagecoach tomorrow. His telegraph indicated he has a break between cases and wanted to spend some time with Billy. Maybe he will be able to help you straighten this mess out."

Chris nodded. "Maybe, if the Temples don't try to pull something first."

Across town, Vin nervously paced the parlor of the boarding house where Nancy had her room. When Kevin had spotted the proprietress's cat sunning herself on the seat of one of the rocking chairs on the front porch, he'd elected to stay there to pet the animal. Vin had been pleased to see the Kevin was developing an affinity for animals.

The sound of a throat being cleared drew Vin's attention to the parlor doorway. Nancy smiled when she saw the expression on Vin's face change to utter surprise and pleasure. Her auburn hair was piled high on her head, with curling tendrils brushing her neck. Her lavender dress showed her curvy figure in its full glory.

Nancy returned Vin's appraising look. "You do clean up quite nicely, Mr. Tanner," she said, unknowingly repeating the same words Mary had said to Chris.

Vin had asked Ezra to help him buy something suitable for the upcoming dance. This was the first time he'd attended one of these social functions as he'd conveniently decided to pay a visit to the Reservation when other dances had been held, and Vin was sure his usual attire would be inappropriate. He had resisted the gambler's urging that he purchase a suit. Instead, he had bought a pair of dress pants and a linen shirt. It was the fanciest set of clothes he'd ever owned, and he felt slightly uncomfortable in them. Even though he was pleased with Nancy's reaction, he longed to be back in his buckskins and work shirt.

Vin stepped toward Nancy with every intention of kissing her. However, the slamming of the front door and the sound of little feet running toward the room caused him to take a step back. He and Nancy both turned to see Kevin dashing into the parlor.

"When we leaving?" he said as he slid to a halt.

"When are we leaving," Nancy corrected him gently. She sent a look in Vin's direction that promised they'd pick up where they'd left off later.

"Yeah, that," Kevin said as he bounced on the balls of his feet. "Everybody's already heading toward the Grain Exchange. We're gonna be late if we don't leave soon."

Vin laughed at the young boy's enthusiasm. "I guess it's time we leave then."

XxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX

The dance was well underway when Chris and Vin decided to take their turn patrolling the town. Mary and Nancy had stopped at the refreshment table and were sitting with a group of other women who were enjoying the opportunity to get together and gossip. Mary glanced across the room to where Sammy and her beau were sitting with Casey and J.D. Her stomach clinched as she watched Michael Langdon approach the cluster of young people. She had heard Chris's feelings about the man more than once and had a feeling that nothing good could come out of his presence at the dance. Secretly, she was glad Chris was there at the moment and hoped Michael would be gone before he returned from patrol.

Sammy was glad to be off her feet. Liam was nice enough, but he wasn't much of a dancer. That was a fact to which her sore feet could attest – he'd stepped on her toes several times before they had decided to sit down for a while. They were discussing plans for a morning fishing trip with Michael Langdon approached.

"Good evening," Michael said in greeting. "Michael Langdon." He introduced himself and shook hands with J.D. and Liam. When Casey introduced herself, he raised her hand to his lips and pressed a quick, gentle kiss to its back. She had never been greeted in such a manner, and was instantly smitten.

J.D. was instantly suspicious of the other man, especially when Michael greeted Sammy like they had already met. "I don't think I've seen you around town before," he said, coming to his feet. He rested his hand on the butt of the gun he still wore strapped to his hip in an effort to intimidate the taller man.

"I met Sammy when I passed through town a while back," Michael said easily, deliberately omitting the reason he had previously been in Four Corners. "Now, I'm working as a hand at the Parker spread west of town." He looked around the room briefly before turning back to make eye contact with J.D. "I came into town to take care of some business in the morning for Mr. Parker and heard about the dance. Figured it was open to everyone, so I thought I'd drop in." Michael turned to hold out his hand to Sammy. "When I saw you sitting here, I decided to ask you for the privilege of a dance."

Sammy was a little surprised at the request. She really hadn't been expecting Michael to ask her that. When she hesitated, Casey elbowed her in the ribs and inclined her head toward Michael, indicating that she should accept the invitation. Finally making her decision, she placed her hand in his and allowed him to pull her to her feet and lead her to the dance floor.

The makeshift band, made up of town folks who happened to play musical instruments, started into a quick reel. The fast pace of the dance gave them little chance to talk as they made their way around the floor with the other dancers.

Chris entered the Grain Exchange just as the dance was coming to an end. He looked around the large room, and his gaze immediately zeroed in on Sammy and the man she was dancing with. He started forward, but was stopped halfway there by Mary. She had seen him enter the room and knew exactly where his gaze had rested.

"It's just a dance, Chris," she said, leading him to the refreshment table.

"He's bad news, Mary. I don't want him anywhere around Sammy." Chris refused the cup of punch she was trying to use to distract him. His gaze remained fixed on the pair in question as the musicians moved into a waltz.

"Now isn't the time to make an issue out of it, Chris. You'll just embarrass her." Mary continued to press the cup on him until he accepted it. "Besides, if you make a fuss over him you will just make him all that more attractive to her."

Chris scowled as he unconsciously took a sip of the punch. He remembered Sarah's father shooting him with rock salt once when he caught Chris sneaking out of the barn. Until now he'd never considered how the man had felt about having a less than respectable man sniffing after his daughter. He wondered if he was going to have to do the same thing or even take more drastic action.

Out on the dance floor, Sammy was starting to relax and enjoy the dance. She was slightly surprised to find out that Michael knew what he was doing, or at least knew enough not to step on her toes. "Why did you come back to Four Corners?" she asked as Michael led her through the steps of a waltz.

Michael had known exactly when Chris had returned to the Grain Exchange. The older man's glare was burning a hole in the back of his neck. "Well, I finished the business I was on the last time I was here, and I decided to leave the Texas Rangers." He twirled her around the dance floor, along with the other dancers. "I needed some place to live and a job, and Four Corners seemed like a good place to start looking." He smiled down at the young woman he was finally getting to hold in his arms. "Besides, there's a particular young lady I remembered and wanted to get to know a bit better."

Sammy wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. She'd never developed a talent for flirting, but she easily recognized that was exactly what Michael was doing. She would never admit it to anyone, but his charm was hard to resist.

"He's no exactly pleased to see me dancing with you," Michael stated, looking in Chris's direction.

"Who?" Sammy asked, turning her head to follow the direction of his gaze.

"Your father."

Sammy smiled slightly. She didn't correct Michael's presumption regarding her and Chris's relationship. After all, she had come to think of Chris in that role. "He's hardly ever pleased to see me spending time with anyone other than the most harmless of men." They're more like boys than men, she though ruefully to herself. "Sometimes I think if he could have his way, he'd wrap me up in cotton batting and keep me on a shelf."

The music ended, and Michael took her by the arm and led her back to her friends. Four Corner's society might be more relaxed than it was back east, but people would still take if they danced too many dances together. While Michael wanted to spend more time in Sammy's company, he wanted to protect her from the gossip that was sure to develop, not to mention any hard time that Chris Larabee might give her.

When they reached Casey and J.D., Michael released Sammy's arm. "Thank you for granting me the honor of dancing with me." He bent at the waist and gave an elegant bow, then turned on his heel and walked off.

Michael wasn't surprised when Chris Larabee met him at the door to the Grain Exchange. Chris inclined his head, clearly indicating that he wanted to take their conversation outside. Once out on the boardwalk that ran in front of the building, Chris turned to Michael.

Chris pulled a cheroot from his shirt pocket and lit it. "Stay away from Sammy," he came quickly to the point.

Michael glanced through the open doorway of the Grain Exchange to here Sammy stood in deep conversation with her friends. "If that's what she wants. Otherwise, I intend to court her," he said, not the least bit intimidated by the other man's manner. Before Chris could respond, Michael turned on his heel and walked off.

**TBC**


	10. Chapter 10

Author's note: Sorry it has taken me so long to post this chapter. Real life has been a little crazy, and while I have had the time, I really haven't had the inclination to write. No guarantees, but I'll try to do better in the future.

As always, I appreciate all the reviews and comments. Keep them coming. Nothing motivates me to write more than finding reviews in my inbox.

**CHAPTER 10**

It was early the next morning when Chris stepped out onto the porch of the boarding house to enjoy a cheroot with his first cup of coffee. The town was unusually quiet for that time of day, but given the late night most people had had, he wasn't surprised. It had been close to midnight when he had walked Mary back to the _Clarion_ with Billy asleep on his shoulder.

Thankfully, the dance had gone relatively smoothly. There were only a couple of drunks sleeping off their night of excess at the jail. It just so happened that both of them were part of the rodeo troop. He didn't envy them having to compete on a bucking bronco later in the day.

Chris turned at the sound of the door opening behind him and watched as Sammy slipped out to join him. She, too, held a steaming cup of coffee in her hand. Deciding to pick his battles, he'd allowed her to win the argument over whether or not she was old enough to drink the beverage. He still drew the line at anything alcoholic, however

They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes before Chris spoke. "Looked like you enjoyed yourself last night." He flicked the butt of his cheroot into the dirt road, unsure of how he was going to broach the subject that was foremost in his mind. Deciding to just plow ahead, he continued, "I saw you dancing with Michael Langdon."

Sammy took a sip of her coffee and studied the man she now considered to be her father. She had a very good idea about what was bothering him. "I didn't encourage him. But you didn't want me to be rude, did you?"

Chris didn't rise to the bait. "He's not somebody you want to get involved with."

"Sounds like you're speaking from experience," Sammy replied cheekily. She glanced over at the gunman as she lowered her coffee cup. "Did some girl's father warn her away from you?"

Chris nearly smiled. "That's none 'a your business, young lady. All you need to know is that I don't want you spendin' time with him."

Sammy couldn't hide her cheeky grin. Although she had no intentions of spending time with Michael Langdon, she wasn't above needling Chris a little about his over protectiveness. In response to Chris's directive she shrugged. "We'll see," she said as she came to her feet. "I can't make any promises." She quickly turned and went back inside the boarding house before Chris could reply.

The grin on Sammy's face had given her away, and Chris was sure from their conversation that she would not be seeking out Michael Langdon. However, he was going to keep an eye on both of them. Not for the first time, he wondered if this is how the fathers of some of the young women he'd courted had felt. He was about to take another drink of his coffee when movement in front of the Clarion taught his attention. Chris sat the mug on the porch railing and stepped off the porch. Someone paying a call to the newspaper office this early in the morning couldn't be a good thing.

XxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX

Mary slept later than she had planned. She supposed it was due to the lateness of the night. After peaking into Billy's room to check on him, she made her way to the kitchen of the small apartment above the _Clarion_'s office.

She had taken the first sip of her morning coffee when pounding knocks on the door of the _Clarion_ echoed through the building. Concerned that the noise would wake Billy, Mary sat the coffee cup on the counter and hurried down the stairs. Through the glass pane in the door, she saw it was Arthur Butterfield, the owner of Butterfield's Store, standing on the other side. Given the sour expression on his face, she knew this was not going to be a pleasant conversation.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Butterfield, but I don't have the _Clarion _open for business yet. I'm sure you understand that with the dance it was a rather late night last night. If you would like to come back in an hour or so, I'd be more than happy to help you then." There had been an agreement among the vast majority of the business owners in town that they would open a couple of hours late the day after dance so that everyone could have the opportunity to enjoy themselves without having to worry about getting up the early the next morning to open their businesses on time.

"I would not like to come back later," Mr. Butterfield stated as he pushed his way past Mary to enter the building. "I have something important to discuss with you regarding," he gestured in the general direction of the school house, "that young woman this town has hired to teach our children." Although he was unmarried and did not have any children who attended the small school, he still felt a civil duty to voice his opinion.

Mary had no choice but to step back and close the door. She sighed heavily before turning. "Mr. Butterfield," she began, "what is your so important that it could not wait until later?"

Arthur bristled slightly at the impatient tone in Mary's voice. "I would think that as a business woman, much less as a mother with a child in that woman's classroom, you would share my concern."

Mary suppressed another sigh. It wouldn't pay to antagonize this man further. "You still haven't told me what your concern is, Mr. Butterfield."

He drew himself straighter, in an attempt to increase his inconsiderable height. "The fact that she is spending time with that Vin Tanner. As a school teacher, Miss Bishop is required to maintain a sterling reputation and remain a good influence on her students. That cannot happen if she is being courted by a man like that."

"And just what kind of man would that be?" Mary crossed her arms over her chest, signaling her impatience. She glanced over at the door as Chris silently entered and closed it.

"He's a gunslinger, and an Indian lover. That's not the type of man a decent woman should associate with, especially a woman who has influence over the children of this town. Who knows what crazy ideas she'll pick up from him and pass on to her students."

"You mean ideas like protecting others who can't defend themselves and treating people with respect no matter the color of their skin," Chris asked as he stalked further into the room. He'd heard enough of the conversation to know exactly who Butterfield was talking about.

Butterfield took a step back and opened his mouth to speak, but quickly closed it. Moving toward the door, he took a wide path around Chris. "This isn't over, Mrs. Travis." He quickly left, slamming the door hard enough to rattle the windows.

"What was that about?" Chris asked, coming to stand in front of Mary. He pulled her into a brief hug.

"I take it you heard?"

"Part of it," he replied as he dropped a quick kiss onto her forehead.

Mary stepped back out of Chris's comforting embrace. "I have a feeling he's going to try and make trouble for Nancy over her relationship with Vin."

"Is there anything in her contract that requires her to remain single or not see anyone?"

Mary shook her head. "No. A lot of schools require that their teachers remain unmarried and not be involved in any way with a man, but we decided to leave that out of our contract. It helped us to recruit Nancy. Plus, I can't see any reason why a school teacher cannot have a normal life like everyone else. Still," she paused, shaking her head. "Some people, including Arthur Butterfield, disagreed with that. And, he's never been shy with regard to his feelings about having the seven of you here."

"Is he going to be able to cause her to lose her job?" Chris was concerned. He was fond of Nancy, and didn't want any trouble for her. Not to mention what it would do to Vin.

"There are a few people in town who feel the same way he does about the peacekeepers, but as you know, most people support you. Vin is well liked, so that will. So, he could cause some trouble, but I don't think Nancy will end up losing her job over it."

XxxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxxX

Chris stepped off the boardwalk onto the dusty street. He turned at the sound of his name, and watched as the young woman who worked at the telegraph office came hurrying toward him. He moved back to the board walk to meet her.

"Gertrude," Chris nodded as she came to a stop in front of him. "Something I can do for you?"

"Mr. Larabee, this telegram can for you from Snellville," she said as she held the folded piece of paper out to him. "Papa said you would want it right away." Her father operated the telegraph office, and she earned spending money working there a few days a week.

They spent a few minutes in small talk, something that Chris had become accustomed to during the time he'd spent in Four Corners. After Gertrude took her leave, Chris opened the folded telegram and read its contents. Cursing ripely, he headed to the jail.

He entered the jail to find Buck sitting behind the desk. "You're up early. Didn't expect to see you until after lunch." Tossing his hat on the desk, he grabbed a chair from the corner and moved it so he could sit across from Buck.

Buck shrugged. "I drew the short straw on early patrol." He studied his long-time friend. "What's eatin' at you?" He'd seen that four-flusher, Michael Langdon, sniffing around Sammy during the dance. He'd nearly stepped in, but Cactus Blossom had drawn his attention away.

In response, Chris handed over the crumpled piece of paper. While waiting for Buck to read it, he went to the filing cabinet and opened the top drawer. He pulled out a bottle of whiskey and two shot glasses. Filling both glasses to the brim, Chris downed one and handed the other to Buck.

Buck accepted the drink and waited until Chris had resumed his seat before speaking. "You think the Temples were behind the horse theft in Snellville."

"Don't know, but it's a mighty big coincidence that a horse Adella Temple had claimed to own ended up going missing the day after the rodeo pulled up stakes and headed out."

"You checked with Yosemite yet? Is that stallion of his where it's supposed to be?"

"I haven't been over there yet, but I figure Yosemite would have let us know by now if he were missing."

Buck rubbed his hand across his chin. "You're probably right. Ain't nothing to now but watch that crew from the rodeo until they head out for their next show."

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

Author's Note: Once again, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to post this chapter. I've been trying to get all of my hand-knitted Christmas presents finished, so I haven't had a lot of time to write. I hope this chapter is worth the wait. If you like it, please review. The reviews that I get in my inbox help get me motivated to write the next chapter.

I hope all of you have a merry Christmas, or whatever holiday you choose to celebrate this time of year.

Warning: contains spanking of minor children.

**CHAPTER 11**

"Sit still and eat your breakfast," Vin admonished Kevin for what felt like the millionth time that morning. He was quickly starting to lose his patience with the boy. "If I gotta tell you again, you ain't gonna be goin' anywhere but to your room today."

Chris hid his smile in his coffee mug as he watched the boy try his best not to squirm with excitement in his seat. He figured this scene was playing out in homes all over town. The rodeo was going to kick off that afternoon with a horse race and shooting exhibition. Although Chris was looking forward to some of the entertainment, he was anticipating there being trouble from some of the participants and spectators.

"You and your friends are plannin' on stayin' outta trouble, I hope," Chris said as he placed his coffee mug back on the table.

"Yes, sir," Kevin nodded, trying to speak around a mouthful of pancake. "We're plannin' on playin' ball in the field behind the church until the races start."

"Just don't break any windows," Sammy said cheekily. "I think a bunch of us are going to meet up at the pond for a picnic before the races."

"Make sure it's the pond where you go, and not the rodeo camp," Chris said, giving Sammy a hard look. He'd overheard a number of teenagers in town making plans to check out the encampment.

Sammy returned Chris's look with one of her own, but didn't say anything in response.

Kevin quickly swallowed the bite of food that was in his mouth. "Can I go to the rodeo camp?"

"I don't wanna catch you anywhere near that camp, you understand me?" Vin said shortly.

"Yes, sir," Kevin answered dejectedly. He had been excited at the possibility of getting to explore behind the scenes of the rodeo. Maybe, he thought, he and some of his friends could sneak to the camp and take a look. After all, Vin hadn't exactly said he couldn't go, just that Vin didn't want to catch him there. With a plan forming in the back of his mind, Kevin quickly finished his breakfast and excused himself from the table to go find his friends.

It seemed like an hour passed before the door opened and Chris strode in. Kevin and Billy only had to see the look on the gunman's face to know that this wasn't going to end well for any of them.

XxxxxxX XxxxxxxX XxxxxxX

"You really think we oughta do this?" Kevin asked somewhat skeptically. He shared a worried look with Billy. It went without saying that if they were caught none of them would be sitting comfortably any time soon. Both boys glanced over at Matthew, but he didn't seem to share his friends' concern.

"Sure," Larry Miller answered.

"It ain't like we're gonna get caught. There're too many people millin' around. They won't know who did it," Travis Miller picked up his brother's line of thought. "We'll toss 'em, then blend in with the crowd to watch what happens."

"If you're too chicken, we can do it ourselves. You can go do something safe," Larry taunted.

"We ain't chicken," Matthew responded for himself and his friends, ignoring their sounds of warning.

"Come on, then. Let's do it." Travis and Larry crept forward. Travis pulled a small packet out of his back pocket while Larry pulled out a box of matches. "The race is about to start. Once it does, we'll lose our opportunity."

The boys stopped short when a large hand descended on Travis's shoulder. "Just what are you boys planning on doing with those?" As one all five boys looked up to see Josiah standing over them.

Josiah held out his hand expectantly. "Hand them over." He waited until the packet of firecrackers and the box of matches were placed in his hand. He looked the items over, then gave a hard look to the boys. The looks on the Miller boys' faces was one of belligerence, while there were looks of contrition on the faces of Kevin, Billy, and Matthew.

"I'm going to ask you again. What were you planning on doing with these?"

He was met with stubborn silence. "Alright then, let's go." Josiah shoved the firecrackers and matches into his pocket and took Travis and Larry each by an arm. "You, too," he said to the other three boys, nodding his head in the direction of the jail.

Nathan and Buck paused in their conversation when Josiah led the group of boys into the jail. "What's this?" Buck asked.

"I caught these boys in the act of mischief," Josiah stated and filled the two men in on what had been happening.

"You got rocks for brains?" Buck asked as he straightened up from his slouch.

"People coulda gotten hurt. You even think 'a that before you decided to set off firecrackers behind a bunch of excited horses?"

"No, sir," Travis responded after sharing a look with his brother.

Kevin briefly thought about speaking up to say that he and Billy hadn't really wanted to set off the firecrackers, but he didn't think his attempt at that particular defense would bring him much success.

"Why don't you two keep an eye on these boys while I go hunt down Chris. I'm sure he's going to want to have a word with them before we turn them over to their folks?"

"Yeah, I don't think they'll be giving us much trouble," Buck stated. He nodded toward the two cells. "They're gonna find themselves a seat over there and not make a sound." The three men watched as the boys trudged reluctantly to follow Buck's instructions.

It seemed like an hour passed before Chris, followed by Vin walked through the door. The look on the men's faces clearly said that Josiah had filled them in on what had happened. Chris stalked directly to the jail cells, where the boys were sitting on the cots.

"You want to tell me what the hell you were thinking?" he demanded.

Five sets of shoulders shrugged in response.

"That's not good enough. I want an answer."

Kevin looked over at Vin, who was leaning against the entrance to the jail cells. Although Vin hadn't said a word since he'd entered the jail, his body language clearly telegraphed his anger. Looking away, Kevin turned his gaze to Billy. Both boys were familiar with the tempers of both men and the danger of pushing them further.

Shouts and the sound of running horses coming from the street indicated that the horse race was underway. Kevin wanted to cry. He had so wanted to see the horse race, but he had allowed his friends to talk him into doing something he knew was wrong. He heaved a huge sigh and, meeting Chris's eyes, simply said, "I'm sorry."

Chris wasn't unaffected by Kevin's apology, but he didn't allow it to show. "That's good, 'cause I have a feeling you're gonna be a whole lot sorrier when Vin gets finished with you. But, that still doesn't answer my question." He paused briefly before continuing. "Now, unless one 'a you answers me within the next thirty seconds, I'm gonna tan all five of you before I turn you over to your folks."

By now, Billy, the youngest of the boys, was openly crying. "I'm sorry, too, Chris. We just wanted to have fun."

Chris nodded, acknowledging the courage it took for Billy to speak up. "Well, you're lucky Josiah stopped you when he did. What you considered to be fun coulda gotten a lot of people hurt. Just what do you think would have happened when you set those firecrackers off?"

Again, all five boys shrugged.

"I'll tell you. Those horses would have panicked and stampeded. People would have panicked, also. Some 'a them could have been knocked down. If that happened, they'd have been run over by horses and other people. All because you boys wanted to have some fun."

Turning to Vin, Chris stated, "you can take Kevin. Buck, you and Nathan, want to take Matthew and Billy to their folks? The Miller boys and I need to have a discussion before I take them to their mother."

Larry and Travis watched as the three men came forward and pulled their friends to their feet. As soon as the men and boys had left the building, Chris turned to the brothers. Although they had lost the belligerent looks they had been wearing, they were far from contrite.

"You remember what I told you would happen the last time I caught you playin' with firecrackers?" he asked, not moving from his position in the door of their cell.

"No, sir," Travis answered a little too quickly. The look of fear on Larry's face gave lie to his brother's statement.

"I think you do. I seem to recall tellin' you if I ever caught you foolin' with firecrackers again, I'd blister your butts before I turn you over to your ma." Chris turned and walked to the front of the large room. He unbuckled his gun belt and laid it on top of a file cabinet, out of reach of the boys. Turning to face the boys, he unfastened the buckle to his belt and pulled the strap of leather through the loops on his pants. "Which one 'a you want to go first?"

XxxxxxxX XxxxxxxX XxxxxxxX

Mary Travis, along with Mrs. Potter, Mrs. Patterson, and Mrs. Miller were sitting in the restaurant enjoying a cup of tea. The afternoon's festivities had seemed to them to be a perfect opportunity to take some time for themselves, and they were determined to make the most of it. Along with their tea and cookies, they were enjoying the chance to simply sit and talk. Soon, the topic of their conversation turned to Nancy Bishop and Vin Tanner.

"I couldn't believe it when Arthur Butterfield accused Nancy of being unfit as a teacher because of her relationship with Vin," Mary stated as she gently placed her cup on the table.

"Why, that old blowhard," Gertrude Patterson exclaimed. "He's so contrary that he'd argue with his own mother if she said boo."

"Vin Tanner is one of the best men I've ever met," Gloria Potter stated. She had been partial to each of the peacekeepers ever since they'd laid their lives on the line to bring her husband's killer to justice. "He may not have the most sterling of backgrounds, but what man out here doesn't have something a bit unsavory in his past. That doesn't change who he is today."

Mary nodded. "I don't think Mr. Butterfield is going to get a lot of support with his allegations. Most of the people in this town like Vin." She paused to take a sip of her tea. "Besides, everyone I've talked to who has children in the school speaks highly of Nancy Bishop. I haven't heard a single complaint about her." The other women agreed with Mary's statement.

Any further discussion was interrupted when Buck approached their table. He had Billy by the upper arm and was dragging the reluctant boy in his wake. "Excuse me, ladies," Buck said as he tipped his hat. "Mary, could I speak with you a moment. There's been some trouble." He paused before continuing, "Mrs. Miller, you should probably come, too."

Both women shared looks of concern and curiosity with their table companions and stood to follow Buck and Billy outside onto the porch. Once they were outside, Mary studied Billy's face and immediately knew from his expression that whatever the trouble was, he'd been in the thick of it. "What's this about, Buck?"

"Well, ma'am, seems that a bunch of youngins', includin' Billy and Mrs. Millers boys, though it'd be fun to set off some firecrackers behind the horses that were being lined up for the race."

Mary gasped in surprise and turned to Billy, who had moved to stand behind Buck. "What were you thinking, Billy?" she demanded. Without giving him the opportunity to answer, she turned back to Buck. She hadn't heard anything that sounded like firecrackers, but with all the commotion in town surrounding the horse race and other rodeo activities she could have easily missed it. "Was anyone injured?"

"No, ma'am," Buck responded. "Josiah caught 'em just as they were about to light the fuse." He reach down and pulled Billy to stand in front of him. "Chris done read them the riot act and the boys to their folks." He turned to Mrs. Miller. "He did want to have a serious discussion with your boys before he turned 'em over to you."

"Yes, I'm sure he did," Mrs. Miller stated. She knew all about Chris's promise to her sons and whole heartedly approved. "Thank you for letting me know, Mr. Wilmington." She glanced in the direction of the jail. "I suppose I should give him a few minutes to finish with them before I go retrieve my sons." She turned to re-enter the restaurant, intending to take a few minutes to finish her tea.

"You're welcome, ma'am," Buck responded. After Mrs. Miller had returned inside, he turned back to Mary. "Chris wanted me to tell you that he'll take care of Billy if you want him to. Just let him know."

Mary had been watching her son and saw him pale at Buck's words. While Billy was generally a good boy, she supposed any boy was liable to get in trouble now and then. Even though what he had been doing was serious, she was more than capable of convincing Billy of the error of his ways. "Thank you, Buck, but I think I can take care of it." She didn't miss the relief that crossed her son's face. "I can assure you that Billy will soon sorely regret his decision today."

Buck grinned at Mary's words. He really hadn't expected her to take Chris up on his offer and was pleased to see that Billy wouldn't be getting off lightly.

"If you will excuse us, I believe Billy and I need to have our own serious discussion about his behavior," Mary stated as she grasped her son by the ear and lead him toward their living quarters above the _Clarion_.

XxxxxxxX XxxxxxxX XxxxxxxX

Kevin trudged slowly up the stairs to the room he shared with Vin. He knew he shouldn't have gone with the Miller brothers after he learned what they'd planned on doing. But he hadn't been able to stomach the idea of being labeled a chicken. Now, he was going to have to pay the price.

Vin followed Kevin into the room and closed the door. His temper had ebbed somewhat during the walk over from the jail. However, he was determined that Kevin start thinking before he acted.

"Do I even gotta ask you if you know why you're in trouble?"

"No, sir," Kevin responded, his head hanging. "I'm sorry."

"Bein' sorry's fine, but you still gotta learn ta' think before you do something like that." Vin moved to sit down on the bed and pulled Kevin to sit beside him. "I know you were probably goaded into settin' off those firecrackers, but you cain't let your friends get you into trouble like that."

"But they were callin' me a chicken," Kevin hoped that defense would buy him some leniency.

"That don't make no difference." Vin said as he draped his arm around the boy's shoulders. "What would have been worse, being called a chicken or how you woulda felt if someone got hurt."

Kevin knew Vin really wasn't looking for an answer, but wanted him to think about the question. He leaned into Vin's side and nodded, fully understanding the point Vin had been making.

They sat that way for a few minutes before Vin sighed. "Come on, let's get this over with." He detached himself from Kevin and stood. Unfastening his belt, he ordered Kevin to stand and lean over the bed.

Kevin obeyed, and tears were rolling down his cheeks before the first lick even landed. A dozen licks later, he was sobbing so hard his promises to be good and never do anything like that again were nearly incoherent.

Vin tossed the belt onto the bed and helped Kevin stand. He sat on the bed, gently pulled the boy down onto his lap and held him until he stopped crying.

XxxxxxxX XxxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX

Other than a few rowdy drunks and a couple of wannabe gunslingers, the peacekeepers hadn't had to handle a lot of trouble. The rodeo had concluded its performance and was preparing to pull up stakes and leave town. However, one person had decided that she wasn't going to leave town empty handed.

Adella glanced around the empty livery stable. She didn't see anyone as she slipped inside the stall housing the large black stallion she called Raven. She was determined that the horse was coming with her, despite what Chris Larabee had told her. In her mind, the horse was her, and nobody was going to keep her from claiming him.

The stallion pawed the straw lining the floor of his stall uneasily and backed into the corner at the girl's approach. Despite his uneasiness, he obeyed when Adella fastened a lead to his halter and began to lead him toward the door.

"That will be far enough, young lady."

Adella jumped and turned to look behind her as Ezra stepped from the shadows of the far stall. She watched uneasily as he moved toward her. "What are you doing here?"

"Preventing you from stealing that animal, it appears. Now," Ezra stated as he came to stand in front of her, blocking her path, "I suggest you return him to where he belongs."

"This is my horse, I intend to take him with me."

"I beg to differ, Miss Temple. You have yet to prove that this animal belongs to you." Ezra took another step forward. Both Adella and the horse were now within arm's reach. "And, I'm sure I do not need to remind you, horse theft is a hanging offense in this territory."

Adella studied Ezra's face. Seeing that he was serious, she turned and led the horse back to his stall.

"Excellent decision, Miss. Temple. Now, I believe we should go find your father and Mr. Larabee so that we can discuss this matter."

**** TBC ****


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note: **I hope everyone had a good holiday. This chapter is a little short, but I decided to go ahead and post it. I'm having a little trouble with writer's block on the next section, so I decided not to make you wait for this. Hope you enjoy.

**CHAPTER 12**

Peter Young stood in front of the bat-wing doors of the saloon. His father's warning of what would happen should he ever be caught inside this particular establishment rang loudly in the back of his mind. However, Ezra Standish had stopped him as he'd walked by the jail and asked him to fetch Mr. Larabee. His desire to obey the request from one of the town's peacekeepers warred with his respect for his father's orders.

He could see Chris Larabee sitting with Vin Tanner and Buck Wilmington at a table near the bar. Remains of a meal and half-full beer mugs littered the table in front of them. The three men seemed to be deep in conversation and, to the casual observer, oblivious to what was happening around them.

Peter was so deep into his conflict that he didn't hear the boot steps on the wooden porch. He nearly jumped out of his skin at the voice that spoke in his ear.

"I hope you aren't plannin' on doin' what I think you are."

The young man turned quickly to see his father, Hiram Young, standing behind him. "No, sir," he answered quickly, then stammered, "well, kinda."

"Well, which is it?"

Peter explained the mission he had been given.

Hiram nodded. "I'll get Chris for you," he said as he pushed open the doors. He paused before stepping into the saloon an turned to his son. "In the future, if you get sent for someone, I won't get after you for goin' in the saloon."

Peter sighed with relief. "Thanks, Pa," he said as he turned to make his way to the General Store, his destination when he had been interrupted by Ezra.

Hiram Young slowly approached the table where the three peacekeepers were sitting. He knew the moment the three men became aware of his presence.

"Something I can help you with?" Chris asked when Hiram stopped at their table. Vin and Buck shifted slightly in their chairs. They knew Hiram Young as a hand at one of the larger ranches in the area. There hadn't been any problems from him, but it was unusual for him to approach them.

"My son, Peter, told me he had been sent by your friend, Ezra Standish, to fetch you." Hiram inclined his head toward the door. "I found him outside, tryin' to decide whether or not to risk comin' in to get you." He smiled at the expressions on the other men's faces.

Chris nodded. There were a number of young men in town who could have benefited from a father who ordered them to stay out of saloons. But, that wasn't the reason Hiram Young was there. "He say what Ezra wanted."

"No, sir," Hiram replied, shaking his head. "Just that Mr. Standish needed you over at the jail."

The three peacekeepers shared a look, and as one they stood and swept their hats off the backs of their chairs onto their heads. "Thanks," Chris stated, as he tipped his hat to Hiram.

"Whatta you think Ez wants," Buck asked as he ambled out of the saloon.

"Guess we'll find out," Chris responded as he pushed the batwing doors open and exited the saloon, Vin and Buck following close behind. When Chris entered the jail, he wasn't surprised to see Ezra sitting at the desk, his feet propped up on its surface. He was surprised, however, to spot Adella Temple sitting on the cot in one of the cells.

"What's goin' on?" Chris asked as he removed his hat and tossed it on the desk. It landed beside Ezra's feet.

The gambler straightened in his chair and set his feet on the floor. "I apprehended Miss Temple attempting to abscond with that black stallion she coveted."

Chris glanced at this fellow peacekeepers, then moved to stand in front of the cell. "Is that true?" he asked, studying the young woman closely.

"I was merely retrieving my property." Adella stood and moved to bars of her cell. "That man," she said, pointing toward Ezra, "had no cause to haul me in here. And you have no reason to hold me. Now, I demand that you let me go."

Chris shook his head in amusement at the girl's audacity. He couldn't believe she was still claiming that horse as her own. "Seems to me he had reason to lock you up, and you're stayin' right where you are until we get this straightened out." He turned to Vin and Buck, who were leaning against the wall by the door. "Go find her father and the judge."

Tense minutes passed until Virgil Temple arrived in the company of Vin. "What is going on here," Virgil demanded as soon as he entered the building. His eyes widened when he spotted his daughter in the cell. "I insist you let her out of there immediately."

Chris straightened from where he'd been leaning against the wall and moved to confront Virgil. "Ezra caught your daughter attempting to steal that black stallion. It's time we get this straightened out once and for all."

Virgil stepped around the black-clad gunman and moved to the cell. Adella rushed to the bars and grasped her father's hands.

"Please, Daddy, you've got to get me out of here. I was only taking Raven back. After all, he belongs to me."

Virgil patted his daughter's hand. "Don't worry. We'll get you out of there." Father and daughter continued to chat, but their voices were so low that neither Chris, Vin nor Ezra could hear what was being said.

A few minutes later all heads turned at the sound of the jail's door opening. The room's occupants watched as Buck, followed closely by Judge Orin Travis entered. "I understand there is a problem here."

Chris and Ezra quickly filled the older man in on the situation. Judge Travis nodded, then moved to where Virgil was standing outside his daughter's cell. "And what do you have to say about this, young lady?"

Before Adella could respond, Virgil spoke. "Could I speak with you in private?"

Judge Travis nodded and followed Virgil out onto the porch, indicating for Chris to join them as he left the room. When the three men were outside, Chris closed the door.

"Well?" Judge Travis stated impatiently. "What is it you couldn't discuss inside."

Virgil sighed heavily. "My daughter is mentally ill."

The look of impatience on Chris's face quickly turned to concern. "How so?"

Glancing around, Virgil spotted the bench by the door. Sitting heavily, he continued, "It happened toward the end of the war. We lived in southern Virginia, near the North Carolina border. I was home recovering from an injury to my arm," he said, rubbing his left arm at the shoulder in memory of the pain. During their encounters, Chris had noticed that the other man's arm had tended to hang limply at his side. In Chris's opinion, Virgil Temple had been lucky not to have had his arm amputated.

"Union soldiers raided our farm. I tried to convince them that I'd fought for the Union – which I had. Believe me, that choice sat really well with our neighbors, most of whom supported the Confederacy." Virgil shook his head. "You don't care about that. Anyway, we had a stallion that looked an awfully lot like that in that stable," he nodded his head in the direction of the livery stable. "I don't know how Rebecca, my wife, had managed to hang on to him, but she did." He paused, "until that day."

"Anyway, the solders wanted that horse. Rebecca tried to stop them, but they shot her. It took her three days to die from her wounds. I tried to hold Adella back, but since I only had the one arm, I didn't do very well. She got away from me and attacked the soldier who shot her mother. He shot her, too." Virgil paused again to gather his emotions so that he could continue with his story.

"The bullet passed through her side. She didn't talk for a year after that, and she still hasn't been the same." He stood and began pacing the porch. "As soon as we could both travel, I sold what was left of the farm and came out here. I ended up working for this outfit and eventually became the manager."

"Every time Adella spots a black horse, she's convinced it is the one stolen from our farm. Usually, I can prevent her from doing anything. A few times, she's managed to take the horse before I could stop her. When I'd find it, I'd either make sure it was returned to its owner or, if we were too far away by that time, I'd send money to pay for it." Virgil turned to look at Chris. "That's why we were delayed getting here. I had to send one of my riders back to Snellville to return a horse she'd taken from the livery stable there."

Judge Travis had lit a cheroot while listening to Virgil's story. He ground the still glowing ember out against the porch rail, and tossed the butt into the street. "That's quite a tale, sir. Just what are you proposing?"

"Mr. Standish stopped Adella before she could make off with the horse. No real harm has been done. Let me take Adella and leave. I'll even pay something to the horse's owner, if that will help square matters between us."

Chris studied Virgil and Judge Travis for a moment before speaking. "Nobody's been hurt. So far," he emphasized. When Virgil nodded, he continued. "They might not be so understanding the next time she tries to steal a horse.

"Yes, I know," Virgil responded. "I promise I'll keep a closer eye on her. I can't lose her, too."

Judge Travis chose then to speak up. "I suggest you find someplace for her to stay. Get someone you can trust to stay with her."

Virgil's face brightened. "You mean you're letting her go?"

The judge nodded. "I'm letting her go, this time."

Virgil held his good hand out to the judge, who shook it. "Thank you, sir. I really appreciate it." Nodding at Chris as he passed on his way back into the jail, he stated, " I'll consider the judge's recommendation."

A few minutes later, Chris rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. Virgil and his daughter, along with the remaining members of the rodeo troupe, had ridden out of town. Looking around at the other men in the room, he stated "I sure could use some peace and quiet for a while."

"Good luck with that one, cowboy," Vin said, slapping Chris on the shoulder as he passed his way out the door.

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note: A huge thank you to Ashleyder1, who let me pick her brain when I hit a road block. This story is so much better thanks to her input.**

**Warning: This chapter contains disciplinary spanking. If you are offended by this, please hit the back button now. **

**CHAPTER 13**

Chris stepped out onto the porch of the jail. He ran his hand through his blond hair and placed his hat on his head. Lighting a cheroot, he looked around the town. It had been too quiet lately, and he was starting to feel itchy. His gut was telling him something he wasn't going to like was about to happen. He hoped it didn't have anything to do with Vin and Nathan, who had gone to the Indian Reservation after Kojay had sent word that the healer's skills were needed.

The black-clad gunman stepped off the porch onto the dusty street, intending to take a stroll through town. School was out for the day, and a number of the town's children, including Kevin and Billy, were occupied with a baseball game at the vacant lot behind the church. The game was being supervised by Josiah and J.D.

As he patrolled the town, Chris's attention was caught by a crowd of people standing outside Butterfield's Store. Knowing this couldn't be anything good, he moved to join the crowd. It took only seconds for him to spot the hand-written sign that had been posted by the door.

Chris pushed his way through the crowd so that he could read the sign. He could feel his temper beginning to rise when he realized it was a petition to remove Nancy as the town's school teacher. It cited her relationship with Vin, among other things, as proof of her poor judgment and unfitness as a teacher.

He was still reading Arthur Butterfield's diatribe against Nancy Bishop when he felt a presence by his side. Chris glanced over to see Buck standing beside him.

"That man ain't got the sense God gave a goat," Buck commented, after reading the sign over Chris's shoulder.

"What concerns me is there are just enough people in this town who agree with him to really make trouble for Nancy." Chris shrugged. Before he could comment further, shouts were heard from inside the store. The two men couldn't make out the words, but they recognized at least one of the voices as Mary Travis.

He shoved his way through the throng of people milling around the store's front porch, and Buck followed closely in his wake. The two men entered the store, only to find Mary and Nancy squared off against Arthur Butterfield. The large, burly man towered over the two women. The clinched fists and red hue to his face clearly indicated he was hanging onto his temper by a thread. All three of them were shouting at the same time, trying to be heard over each other.

"What the hell is going on here," Chris demanded, stepping into the room. The sudden silence in the room was almost deafening as three pairs of eyes turned in his direction. Chris moved forward, taking Mary by the arm to pull her away from the group. Mary resisted, attempting to pull her arm out of the black-clad man's grip. Chris tightened his grip and leaned forward to speak into Mary's ear. "I strongly suggest you don't push me right now." She glared at him, but allowed him to pulled her to stand by his side.

Buck, following Chris's lead, crossed the room and took Nancy by the arm. Seeing that there was no other choice, she followed his command and stepped back, away from Butterfield.

"I asked what was going on here, and I want an answer. Now!" Chris commanded again.

"That . . . that imbecilic cur posted that sign out front," Mary spat at the same time Nancy said, "you have no idea what you are talking about, you ignorant rube."

Butterfield took a menacing step forward. A hard look from Chris stopped him from advancing further. "I had every right to post that sign. People in this town agree with me." He turned his attention to Chris as he gestured in Nancy's direction. "She ain't fit to teach our children. This just proves it."

"What would you know about what is proper for the children of this town?" Mary questioned, her voice uncharacteristically harsh. "The way I heard it, your wife took your children and went back east because they couldn't live with you."

"You little bitch," Butterfield nearly roared with rage. This time Chris's look wasn't enough to stop his advance. Rather, it took the gunman's revolver pointed toward his middle before the other man stopped, only a few feet from where Chris and Mary stood.

Nancy started to come to her friend's defense, but Buck tightened the grip on her arm. "You just stay put, missy. You're in enough trouble as it is without gettin' in the middle of that."

Meanwhile, Mary had started to respond, but Chris quickly cut her off. "You open your mouth again, and I'll gag you." He gave the three combatants his best glare as he holstered his gun. "Butterfield, I want you to take that sign down.

"I got every right to post whatever I want on my property. You're just saying that 'cause you're friends with these two and that Indian lover."

"That's got nothing to do with it. That sign is creating a public nuisance. Either you take it down, or I will," Chris responded.

"If I gotta take my sign down, I want both of them arrested for trespassing and for creating, what did you call it, a public nuisance," Butterfield demanded.

"Don't worry, I'll deal with these two. You just do as I told you," Chris stated. He nodded his head in the direction of the door, indicating that Buck was to escort Nancy out of the building. "Take her over to the jail. We'll discuss this there." He then turned Mary and gave her a hard swat to her backside to get her started toward the exit. Chris knew she hadn't felt the swat through her skirts, but it easily communicated to both Mary and Arthur Butterfield exactly how he intended to deal with the matter. He ignored Mary's squawk of protest, just as he ignored Butterfield's grunt of satisfaction.

As he stepped through the door, Chris reached over and pulled the sign from the wall. He crumpled the paper in his hand. He didn't trust Butterfield not to leave the sign tacked to the side of his store and argue that he intended to take it down later.

Chris observed the number of people still milling about outside the store. Several of them were intently watching and listening to what was happening inside. Catching Mary's arm to momentarily halt her progress he ordered, "everybody go about your business. There is nothing more to see here." He waited until the townspeople had wondered off before nudging Mary to get her started again. "Let's go."

The short walk to the jail was made in silence. Chris's temper was doing a slow boil. He couldn't believe the two women had acted that way.

As soon as the four of them were inside the jail, Chris slammed the door shut. He paused a moment to calm his temper before turning and pinning Mary and Nancy with a look that had frightened many a hardened gunman. "You want to tell me what the hell you thought you were doing?" he demanded.

"We were confronting that ignoramus about that sign he posted," Nancy stated. She had been in town long enough and knew Chris Larabee well enough to know better than to give such a smart aleck answer, but her temper was overriding her common sense.

Buck groaned and shook his head at the young woman's stupidity. Smarting off to Chris when he was in a temper was akin to poking and angry bear. She'd be lucky if all she got was her head handed to her.

Chris removed his hat and tossed it on the desk. He did the same with this gun belt, more in an attempt to cool his temper than anything. Finally, he stalked over to stand in front of Nancy. He grasped her chin in his hand and tilted her chin up so that he could look her directly in the eye. "Since you're Vin's woman, I had intended to let him deal with you when he gets back from the Reservation. But you keep up this attitude, and I'll forget that and deal with you myself. Is that understood?"

Nancy swallowed hard. She was under no illusions as to Chris's meaning. It was going to be bad enough to face Vin, but the thought of a trip over the intimidating gunman's knee was enough to quickly cool her temper. "Yes, sir," she answered meekly.

Chris nodded, released her chin, and stepped back. "Do you two have any idea of what you've done?" Neither woman responded. They knew a rhetorical question when they heard one. "You've just given Butterfield ammunition for his argument that Nancy is unfit as a teacher," he continued. "There weren't a whole lot of people in town who agreed with him, but after your display today he's probably gained a few more supporters. The more people who agree with him, the easier it's going to be to be for him to get Nancy fired."

Mary shared a look with Nancy. "We're sorry, Chris. I suppose we both overreacted when we read what Mr. Butterfield had written."

"You're both going to apologize to Butterfield, and it's going to be printed in your paper, Mary." Chris grinned at the distressed look on the newspaper woman's face. "You made a public spectacle of yourself, so you're going to make a public apology."

Nancy started to interrupt, but at Chris's hard look, she shut her mouth. "Everyone standing on that porch could hear what you were saying. And, they're gonna talk about it. You know how quickly gossip spreads in this town. Hell, half the residents probably already know all about it." He paused, eying the reactions of both women. "So, you're going to make an apology that everyone in town can see."

"Buck, you wanna escort Miss Bishop home?"

Buck moved forward to take Nancy by the arm. They were at the door when Chris spoke again.

"Miss Bishop, I suggest you stay at the boarding house for now. It'll be up to Vin how he wants to handle this. If it weren't for the fact that you're his, I'd blister your ass myself. You understand?"

Nancy blushed at Chris's words and quickly answered him in the affirmative. Silently, she allowed Buck to escort her to the boarding house where she kept a room. Before the tall lady's man left, he turned to Nancy. "Missy, you ought to county your blessin's that Vin ain't here right now and hope this thing has blown over by the time he gets back."

After Buck and Nancy left, Chris moved to close and lock the door behind him. He couldn't do anything about whatever sounds might be heard outside the building, but he could prevent anyone from intruding while he dealt with Mary. Turning to her, he said, "do we really need to discuss this any further?"

Mary was determined to stand her ground. She wasn't afraid of Chris. Oh, she knew exactly what he had planned for her, and that worried her, but she was determined not to show it. "I overreacted when I read Mr. Butterfield's sign. It was so full of lies that I couldn't think straight. I will issue the apology."

"That's not good enough, Mary." Chris moved forward until he was standing in front of her. "You've more than earned the tanning you're about to get, and you know it." He grasped her by the wrist and led her to one of the jail cells. Sitting on the bunk, he quickly and easily pulled her face down across his lap.

Mary protested as Chris raised her skirts and petticoats, leaving only her drawers in place. He swept the layers of material up and rested his left arm across the small of her back, effectively pinning Mary in place and holding her skirts up out of his way. With is right hand, he parted the slit in her drawers, baring the white globes of her backside. Chris took a moment to admire the sight that had been revealed to him before raising his hand and delivering a hard smack. The red handprint left behind was quickly followed by another and another.

Chris continued to rain swats down on Mary's backside as she squirmed and cried out with the sting of each smack. When her backside was a uniform, bright red, he paused. "You acted before you thought and embarrassed yourself today. You created a public nuisance. You were also lucky I showed up when I did. Butterfield was ready to lose his temper, and there wouldn't be anything you could do to stop him from hurting you. All because you didn't take the time to think first." He paused, letting his words sink in a moment before he continued. "Maybe now you'll think before you act."

"Please stop," Mary pleaded. Her backside was on fire. "I promise, I'll do anything you say."

Chris didn't say anything. Instead, he rained another dozen hard swats to the tender flesh of her sit spot. He wanted to be sure she felt the reminder of this encounter for a good long while.

When he was finished, he carefully straightened her drawers over her inflamed backside and lowered her skirts. Mary lay limply over his lamp, crying openly. Chris waited patiently while she calmed down. Finally, when her sobs had stopped, Chris helped Mary to stand. He rose to his feet and pulled her into a hug.

"I'm sorry I had to do that, Mary," he said into her hair. "But if you don't start thinking before you act, one of these days you're going to find yourself in more trouble than you can handle." Chris stepped back, grasped Mary by the shoulders and pushed her away from his chest so he could look down into her eyes. "I care too much for you to allow that to happen."

Transferring his hands from her shoulders to cradle her face, he leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. He didn't give her time to respond before he stepped back.

"Come on," he said, stepping out of the jail cell and over to the desk. He strapped his gun belt back in place and picked up his hat. "I'll walk you home."

Later that day Chris was sitting outside the jail when Vin and Nathan rode in. He looked up from the book he was reading and watched the two men as they headed toward the livery stable. Chris closed his book and placed it on the bench beside him. Picking up his hat, he ambled toward the stable.

"How'd it go at the Reservation?" Chris asked as he stood outside the stall where Vin was grooming his horse.

"One of the kids had fallen while climbing on those boulders on the edge of their village and broke his wrist. Their medicine man was off on a vision quest. I set it, and he should be fine in a month or so," Nathan stated from across the wide aisle that ran the length of the stable.

Vin looked up from running the brush along his horse's flank. Seeing the look on Chris/s face he asked, "you have any trouble while we were gone?"

"A bit," Chris replied. He studied his finger nails a moment. "Some of it's gonna need your attention when you get settled."

"What did Kevin do this time?" Vin asked. He placed the curry brush back on the shelf, and with one last pat to the horse's shoulder he exited the stall.

"It wasn't Kevin," Chris stated. "It was Nancy."

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's note: Seems like I'm always saying this, but I'm sorry it's taken me so long to post this chapter. I probably wrote and deleted it half a dozen times. I'm still not happy with parts of it, but I decided to go ahead and post it before it drives me crazy. **

**CHAPTER 14**

Nancy paced the confines of her room. Now that she had calmed down, her thoughts were filled with her confrontation with Arthur Butterfield earlier that day. Sighing, she stopped to stare out the window. Life seemed to be going on in Four Corners as usual. Nancy loved her life in this small western town, but her conscious wouldn't allow her to be the source of trouble for others. Not only had she embarrassed herself earlier, but now her friend was in trouble for standing up for her.

Turning away from the window, Nancy resumed her pacing. She had known people like Arthur Butterfield before. He would stop at nothing to get his way, regardless of who he hurt in the process, and for some reason he wanted her gone. She couldn't stand the idea of being the cause of harm to those she cared about.

Finally coming to a decision, she sighed. There was only one thing she could do. Sitting at her desk, she began writing. Her heart was breaking over what she was about to do, especially since she was taking the coward's way out. She only hoped that Vin would be able to forgive her someday.

XxxxxxxX XxxxxxxX XxxxxxX

Vin stepped into the entry of the schoolhouse. After he hadn't found Nancy in her room at the boarding house as he'd expected, he had decided to come here looking for her. He could tell in a glance that the building was empty, but his instincts urged him into the room.

As he approached the desk at the front of the room, Vin noticed the piece of paper laying on its surface and moved to pick it up. Glancing at the bottom of the page, he saw it had been signed by Nancy. A shiver of dread coursed down his spine as he painstakingly read the body of the letter:

_To the Citizens of Four Corners:_

_I regret the embarrassment that my actions today may have caused you. What I did was inexcusable and unsuited for someone in my position. After serious consideration, I have come to the conclusion that it is in the best interest of the children of this town if I resign immediately as their teacher._

_It is my recommendation that Samantha Browning be named as my replacement. Although she is young and has no formal training, she has excelled as my classroom assistant. I believe she will make an excellent teacher._

_Please know I did not reach this decision lightly. I have greatly enjoyed my time in Four Corners, and the people of this town will forever hold a place in my heart._

_Sincerely,_

_Nancy Bishop._

Unable to believe what he had read, Vin read through the letter a second time. The words didn't change. He couldn't believe that Nancy had resigned her position. He had a bad feeling that he was not going to find her anywhere in town.

Vin immediately returned to the boarding house, where he talked the proprietress into letting him into Nancy's room. There, propped against the lamp on her desk was an envelope bearing his name.

He hesitated a moment before picking it up. He wasn't sure he wanted to read what was written on the paper inside it. Tentatively, with his heart in his throat, Vin reached for the envelope and opened it. He pulled out a piece of paper. Unfolding it, he read:

_Dearest Vin:_

_I cannot tell you how sorry I am to leave you like this, but I was too much of a coward to do this face to face. I care for you more than you will ever know._

_By now you will have heard what happened today. All I can say is I'm sorry. I embarrassed myself with my actions. More importantly, I cannot allow those I care about to be hurt because of me. That is exactly what will happen if I stay here. _

_I know you will probably not understand why I have done this. I can only say that this is what I feel I must do. I can only hope that one day you will be able to forgive me. Goodbye._

_You will always be in my heart,_

_Nancy._

Vin wiped away the tear rolling down his cheek. He couldn't believe Nancy would leave the way she had. From his conversation with Chris he knew what had happened that afternoon between Arthur Butterfield and the two women. Personally, he thought Chris may have over reacted. But, he hadn't been there, so he kept that particular opinion to himself.

Gathering his emotions, he looked around the room. Nothing looked to be missing or out of place. However, because he hadn't been in her room more than a few times, he knew that wouldn't necessarily be an indication of anything. Nancy was probably traveling light, meaning she would have taken very little with her. After a brief search of the room, his suspicion was confirmed. The only things he knew for sure to be missing were her valise and her gun.

Vin grabbed both letters and quickly left Nancy's room in search of Chris. There were a few things he needed to take care of before he could set out to track Nancy. It would be dark in a few hours, and he wanted to head out as soon as possible.

"You want me to go with you?" Chris asked his friend after Vin had found him.

"Nope, but I need you to keep an eye on Kevin if you would."

"You got it." Chris looked down at the letters he held in his hand. He had quickly read through them as soon as Vin had told him what had happened. "I still can't believe Nancy would take off like that. Yeah, she and Mary went too far today, but it wasn't something she needed to resign over. Butterfield's got some support, but not enough to get her fired."

"You can bet that's the first thing I'm going to find out, right after I ask her if she's lost her mind," Vin replied as he headed toward the door, but Chris's next words stopped him before he could leave the room.

"You know it's going to be dark in a couple of hours. Even if you find her soon, you're going to have to make camp for the night."

"Yeah, I know. Why?" Vin questioned as to why Chris would bring this up.

"Think about it, Vin. A man and woman who aren't married to each other camping out together. That's just going to add fuel to Butterfield's fire."

"Shit," Vin responded as he took off his hat and slapped it against his leg. "You got any ideas?"

"Take someone along to act as a chaperone."

Vin thought for a moment. He was anxious to ride out and look for Nancy, but Chris had a valid point. "You got any suggestions?" The first person he thought of was Mary, but he figured she wouldn't be too anxious to spend any amount of time in a hard leather saddle.

"Take Sammy. Nobody's think twice about her riding out with you."

Vin nodded. "Send her to the livery. I want to ride out in half an hour." A thought suddenly occurred to Vin. He stopped and turned back to Chris. "Won't people think it's strange that I rode out with Sammy but came back with her an Nancy?"

Chris nodded, acknowledging the possibility. "We'll put out word that Nancy has gone out to Nettie's. You and Sammy are going to join her and do some work at Nettie's place first thing in the morning." He paused a moment, considering what he had suggested. "Nettie's almost as fond of Nancy as she is of you. I think she'll go along with us."

XxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX

Nancy was starting to regret her impetuous decision to leave Four Corners. Her plan had been to go to Ridge City, where the nearest train station was located, and decide where to go from there. When she'd left town, she hadn't taken into consideration that it would be dark in a few hours. She pulled Ebony to a halt and looked up at the position of the sun and realized that she was going to have find a place to make camp for the night.

A while later, she spotted a stand of trees off the road. Deciding that this would be a good place to spend the night, Nancy dismounted and because the process of making camp. Even though the only time she had even come closing to camping out was the time she'd spent in Kojay's village and the subsequent trip back home, she had a general idea of what she needed to do.

She quickly unsaddled Ebony and hobbled the mare in a grassy area near a stream so she could eat and drink at her leisure. Then, she carried her saddle bags to an area that she had picked out for her campsite. After clearing an area for her fire, she went in search of fire wood.

By the time darkness fell, she had built a small fire. Unfortunately, rather than the nearly smoke-free fire she had seen at Kojay's village, her fire produced plumes of smoke. The night sounds that surrounded her had Nancy so nervous and jumpy that she had moved Ebony closer to her camp, taking comfort from the large animal's presence.

She was sitting by the fire, her eyes watering from the smoke, when Ebony's sudden nickering and the noise of someone walking through the nearby bush caused her to jump. She grabbed the revolver she had been cradling in her lap and pointed it in the general direction of the noises she had heard. "Who's there?" She hoped that her voice sounded a whole lot more confident to whoever was out there than it did to her. "I'm armed, so show yourself."

"Lower your gun, Nancy. It's just me," Vin stated authoritatively as he emerged from the brush, leading his horse. "And Sammy," he glanced back as the young woman followed closely behind him.

Nancy's relief at seeing familiar faces was so great that she dropped her gun and ran to fling herself into Vin's arms, causing his horse to shy away in surprise.

XxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX

Vin was pacing impatiently in the stable when Sammy arrived. He already had both horses saddled and loaded with their gear. "Come on, let's go," he ordered impatiently as he lead his horse out into the late evening sunshine. "It's gonna be dark soon."

"Where do you think she's going?"

Vin glanced back at Sammy. "If'n it were me, I'd head to Ridge City to catch the train somewheres."

Sammy nodded. Since coming to live in Four Corners, she's come to respect and envy Vin's instincts and tracking skills. She figured that if Vin thought Nancy was headed toward Ridge City, then that was probably where she was going. Still, she was curious about something. "Vin, do you know why Nancy took off like that?"

Vin shrugged. "You heard what happened this afternoon with Butterfield?"

Sammy nodded. She hadn't been at the store or read Butterfield's petition. But town gossip being what it was, she had heard all about it. She'd also heard about how Chris had dealt with Mary, and having been on the receiving end of Chris's discipline more than once, she felt sorry for the other woman.

Vin related what Nancy had written in the two letters.

Sammy shook her head in disbelief. "I can't believe she'd do that. If I've learned anything from my time with the seven of you, it's that it's better to confront your problems than run from them."

Vin didn't have a reply. He and Sammy rode in companionable silence, stopping occasionally so that Vin could check for signs of Nancy's passage. Sammy got the impression that the tracker was convinced that they were on the right trail.

Finally, shortly after full darkness had fallen, they spotted plumes of white smoke rising above a stand of trees a short distance off the road. They dismounted and walked their horses in the direction of the trees. As they approached they could smell the wood smoke. Their horses whinnied, and they heard a distant nickering in response.

Vin motioned for Sammy to fall back behind him. Although he suspected they had found Nancy's camp, he didn't want to take any chances. Pushing his way through the stand of trees and brush, he emerged into a small clearing. Sammy felt a rush of relief when she heard Vin say, "Lower your gun, Nancy. It's just me."

XxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX

Vin caught Nancy as she threw herself at his chest. His horse shied away from the sudden movement, and Sammy reached to take his reins. She glanced at Vin and Nancy as she led the horses past them to the stream so they could drink before being hobbled near Nancy's mare.

As Sammy passed, Vin grasped Nancy by the upper arms and pushed her away from his chest so that he could look her over. His relief at finding her unharmed was quickly overcome by anger. "Why did you take off that way?" he demanded as he gave her a quick shake.

"I'm sorry, Vin," Nancy said, as she tried unsuccessfully to pull away from his grasp.

Vin gave her a hard look before releasing her arms and taking a step back. He didn't trust himself not to shake her until her head fell off her shoulders. "I don't want yer apology, Nancy. I want an explanation."

She couldn't meet his steady, soul searching gaze. Instead, she once again pulled away from his grasp. This time, he allowed her to escape, but continued to study her face as she took a step back.

"I really am sorry, Vin." Nancy studied her hands for a moment before continuing. "I can't be the cause of trouble for those I care about; especially for you." She turned her back to Vin. "With me gone, Mr. Butterfield won't have any reason to cause you problems."

"Of all the stupid . . ." Vin threw up his hands and backed away from Nancy. He didn't quite trust his temper at the moment. Once his temper was back under control, he turned back. He reached for Nancy's hands and held them in his own, hoping to convey the depth of his feelings.

"I don't give a damn what that mudsill has to say about me. You shouldn't care either. He's had it in fer me ever' since I got into town. Fact is, he don't like any 'a us peacekeepers since we stopped him from bullyin' a young fella he had workin' fer him. He's usin' you to get back at me, but you takin' off like you did just plays into his hand. Not to mention how dangerous it was."

"Oh, Vin," Nancy said as she moved in to embrace him. "How could I have been so foolish?"

Vin held her for a long moment, taking as much comfort from her presence as he was giving. He rubbed a hand down her back. "You let yer heart do yer thinkin' for you rather than yer head." He stepped back and turned her to face the camp. Putting his hand at the small of her back, Vin urged Nancy forward. "Come on, we'll have a long talk about this when we get back to town," he said, the tone of his voice clearly telling Nancy exactly what she was in for after they returned to Four Corners. "For now, you need to get some rest."

Sammy was unsaddling her horse when Vin and Nancy approached the makeshift camp. Having decided it was safe for her to join them, she gave her horse a parting slap on the shoulder and made her way over to the fire.

"You okay?" she asked as she sat beside her friend.

Nancy looked over at her friend and nodded in response. When Sammy saw the tears standing in Nancy's, she scooted closer and draped an arm around her shoulder. She was curious as to why Nancy had taken off the way she had, and she figured her friend would tell her when she was ready. In the meantime, she'd give her a shoulder to lean on.

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

**Warning: This chapter contains disciplinary spanking. If you are offended by this, please hit the back button now.**

**CHAPTER 15**

_Previously: Nancy looked over at her friend and nodded in response. When Sammy saw the tears standing in Nancy's, she scooted closer and draped an arm around her shoulder. She was curious as to why Nancy had taken off the way she had, and she figured her friend would tell her when she was ready. In the meantime, she'd give her a shoulder to lean on._

It was close to noon when the three riders approached the junction where the road leading to Nettie's and other outlying farms and ranches joined the road to Ridge City. They had lingered at their camp that morning to give credence to the story that they'd gone out to Nettie's and it was now almost noon.

Sammy had been glad when they had finally ridden out. The tension between Vin and Nancy had been so thick she could have cut it with a knife, especially after Nancy had announced her intentions to continue on to Ridge City rather than return to Four Corners. For a moment, she had thought Vin would make good on his threat to hog-tie Nancy and toss her over his saddle for the ride back to town. Apparently, Nancy had thought he'd do it, too, as she had finally agreed to return on her own.

As they neared the junction, Vin was riding several lengths ahead of Sammy and Nancy, who were riding side by side. First the first time since they'd found Nancy, Sammy gave voice to her thoughts.

"I just gotta ask, Nancy, have you gone completely crazy?"

Nancy knew exactly what Sammy was alluding to. Sighing heavily, she turned to her friend. "Maybe I have. Certainly, I have managed to make matters worse for myself." She glanced back at Vin. From the stiffness of his back, she could tell he was still angry with her, and that didn't bode well for her when they arrived back at Four Corners. Nancy mentally cursed her damned stubborn pride.

Any further conversation between them was interrupted when J.D. emerged from a copse of trees at the juncture. "About time you all showed up," he said, as Vin pulled his horse to a stop. Sammy and Nancy quickly followed suit. "I've been out to talk to Nettie. She and Casey are gonna back our story. The three 'a you spent the night at her place and helped her with some chores this morning, and I rode out early this morning to help out." The younger man suddenly realized the tension surrounding the three other riders. "Did I miss something?"

"Nothing," Vin said, shortly. "Come on, I wanna get back to town."

XxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX

It was a silent group who rode into town a while later. As they led their horses into the livery stable, Sammy shared a look with J.D. She knew Nancy probably wanted to delay the upcoming discussion with Vin as long as possible, but she also knew from experience that was better to get that kind of talk over and done with as soon as possible.

"If you two want to go on, J.D. and I can take care of the horses." She ignored the dirty look Nancy gave her, and began unsaddling her own mount.

"Thanks," Vin said, nodding in Sammy's direction. Before Nancy could protest, he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her behind him toward the door of the livery. He stopped just inside the door and turned Nancy to face him. "Are you gonna come to your boarding house with me willingly, or do I have to drag you?"

Nancy tried to pull her wrist out of Vin's grip, but he only tightened his hold. "You ain't gonna get outta what's comin' to you for takin' off the way you did. The only choice you have is whether you're gonna make it easier or harder on yerself." Vin paused. He stepped closer until he towered over Nancy. "You make me drag you outta here, and people are gonna wonder what happened at Nettie's or if we even went to Nettie's."

Nancy glanced back at JD and Sammy, who were attempting, unsuccessfully, to pretend that they weren't listening to everything that was going on between them. Turning back to Vin, she studied his face and saw that he was as serious as he could be. "Let go of my wrist. I'll go with you, but this isn't over." She knew exactly what Vin had in mind for her as soon as they reached her room, and she wasn't going to make it easy for him.

"You're darn right it ain't over," Vin said as he let go of her wrist and stepped back. His temper had cooled somewhat, but he was still on edge. "Let's go."

They made their way to the boarding house where Nancy had her room. To anyone watching, it looked like Vin was simply walking Nancy back to her room after returning from their trip out to Nettie's. Only someone who knew Vin very well would have noticed the strain in his features.

When they reached the boarding house, Vin placed his hand at the small of Nancy's back and directed her up the stairs. Unbeknownst to them, Minerva Fitzhugh, the proprietress of the boarding house, stepped out of the parlor and watched Vin and Nancy ascending the stairs. Nervie, as she was known to her friends, started to protest the very idea of Vin being in Nancy's room, but his body language convinced her to hold her tongue. It didn't, however, stop her from following to listen at the door.

Nancy didn't know why she was surprised when Vin pushed the door to her room open. She knew when she left that Vin would talk Ms. Fitzhugh into opening her door for him, that was why she had left his letter there. Once they were in the room, she watched as Vin closed the door and briefly hesitated before turning back to her.

"You wanna explain to me again why you thought it'd be a good idea to cut and run?" he asked, coming right to the point. He wasn't in the mood for small talk.

Nancy moved to the room's single window. She parted the curtain and stared out at the street below, unable to face the pain and uncertainty she saw in Vin's eyes. "I know I hurt you, Vin, and I'm sorrier than you'll ever know for that." Turning back to Vin, she continued, "I couldn't stand being used against you, so I decided my best option was to remove myself from the situation. And, Mary's in trouble with Chris because of me."

Vin pulled his battered hat from his head and tossed it onto the desk. His gun belt quickly followed. "First of all, Mary made her own choices, and Chris handled it the way he saw fit. Personally, I don't care a continental about Arthur Butterfield and his blather." He moved to stand in front of Nancy. Sighing heavily, he cradled her face in his hands and turned it up so he look down into her eyes. "Most people in town know he's just talkin' bosh. And you actin' all addle-headed don't help matters none."

Nancy leaned her face into Vin's hand for a moment before reaching up to place her hands over his. She pulled his hands down and stepped back out of his reach. "I don't think I acted empty-headed at all. I did what I thought was best for you and for me."

"Yeah, I get that." Vin said as he crossed his arms over his chest in an effort to keep from reaching for Nancy again. "But the fact 'a the matter is, you took off on yer own. You were lucky it were me an' Sammy who found you, and you know it."

Nancy had to admit to herself that Vin did have a valid point, but she wasn't going to tell him that. Vin reached for her and once again gripped her by the upper arm. "You remember what I told you I'd do if'n you ever rode out on yer own agin?" he asked. His voice had a deadly serious edge to it, one that Nancy had never before heard.

She nodded, unsure whether she could trust her voice.

"You think of any reason why I shouldn't tan yer hide?" When Nancy didn't respond to his question, Vin sighed. "That's what I thought." He turned and led her to the bed.

Once there, Vin hesitated in indecision for a moment before reaching for the buckle of his belt. The soft rasping noise made by the leather strap being pulled through heavy cotton belt loops seemed to fill the room. His heart was breaking at the thought of what he had to do.

Vin sat on the side of the bed and pulled Nancy face down over his lap. He doubled the leather strap twice so that it formed more of a paddle than a strap. "This is the second time we've had this discussion about you ridin' out by yourself. Apparently the tannin' I gave you the last time didn't leave much of an impression, or you wouldn't 'a gone such a dang fool thing." Taking a deep breath to steel himself for what he was about to do, he brought the belt down hard on her backside.

The heavy material of her riding skirt offered some protection against Vin's belt, but Nancy still yelped at the stripe of burning pain it left behind. She barely had time to register the thought that this was going to be much worse than the last spanking Vin had given her before the belt landed again, directly below the previous swat. She couldn't help herself and reached a hand back in attempt to protect her backside. She also began kicking her legs in an attempt to dislodge herself from Vin's lap.

Vin easily captured her hand and, lacing his fingers through hers, held it firmly at the small of her back. "You keep fightin' me, and you'll only make harder on yerself," he said as he brought the belt down on her vulnerable sit spot.

Nancy was starting to think the spanking would never end when Vin finally stopped applying the belt to her now burning backside. She was sobbing openly and tears were streaming down her checks to soak the quilt under her face.

"Like I said earlier, I don't care about that argument you had with Butterfield. That's water under th' bridge." Vin tossed the belt on the bed, deciding he wouldn't need it to finish making his point perfectly clear. "You don't go ridin' out alone." He brought his hand down hard twice on Nancy's already sore sit spot. "You don't put yerself in danger in any way." Again his hand descended. "Do you understand me?" he asked.

"Yes," Nancy barely managed to say through the sobs wracking her body. She didn't know how she would ever sit again. The tears streaming down her cheeks weren't only from the pain of the spanking, more than a few of them were from the relief she felt from the guilt she felt over having hurt Vin so badly. She instinctively knew that Vin hadn't intended any of the punishment he had just administered to be for that, but it still assuaged her guilt.

Vin released Nancy's hand and began rubbing comforting circles on her back. Pulling her up to a sitting position, he cradled her in his arms. They sat that way for several moments before Vin spoke softly into her hair. "Please don't make me have to do that again."

When Nancy finally stopped crying, Vin urged her to stand. He followed her and stood, facing her with his hands on her shoulders. "If you still want to leave Four Corners, I'll take you to Ridge City tomorrow." He held his breath, afraid of what her answer might be.

Nancy quickly shook her head and wiped at the tears that had resumed spilling down her cheeks. "No, Vin, I don't want to leave."

"I was hopin' you'd say that." Vin was so relieved that he pulled Nancy closer. His eyes met hers for a brief second before he dropped his lips to hers and kissed her passionately. Nancy was surprised, but quickly began returning the kiss. When they finally broke apart, Vin rested his forehead against hers. "Good, 'cause I love you too much to lose you."

"Oh, Vin, I love you, too."

They stood that way, wrapped in each other's embrace, for several moments until a horrifying thought suddenly entered Nancy's mind. "Oh, no!"

"What? What's wrong?" Vin demanded, taking a step back.

"I left a resignation letter on my desk at the school. What if someone found it?"

Vin laughed, causing Nancy to slap his shoulder in exasperation. "Don't worry. I found yer letter and gave it ta Chris. He and I are the only ones thet know you did such a damned fool thing, and he's ain't gonna tell no-one."

**Author's note: A little cheesy, I know, but whatta you gonna do? The slang I've used in this chapter for Vin came from the website legendsofamerica(dot)com.**


	16. Chapter 16

_Previously: After her and Mary's confrontation with Arthur Butterfield, Nancy left a resignation letter on her desk at the school and a letter to Vin in her room at the boarding house. Vin and Sammy followed to bring her back. In order to explain their absence from town, the story was planted that they had gone to Nettie's to help her with chores. Once back in town, Vin and Nancy had a serious discussion about her habit of putting herself in danger, and they declared their feelings for each other. Unbeknownst to them, Nancy's landlady was eavesdropping on their conversation._

**CHAPTER 16**

Sammy hesitated only briefly before pushing through the batwing doors and entering the saloon. Chris had made it very clear to her when she first came to Four Corners that he didn't want to catch her in this particular establishment, but Sammy was on a mission. Taking a deep breath to steel herself against her guardian's certain ire, she made her way over to the table where Chris and Buck were eating lunch.

"Hi, Buck," she said before turning to meet Chris's glare. "Before you yell at me, there's something we need to talk about." She pulled out a chair and sat down. Taking a warm tortilla from the basket in the middle of the table, she began tearing pieces off it to put into her mouth.

"This had better be a matter of life or death," Chris said.

Sammy popped another piece of tortilla into her mouth and shrugged. "How about the story about Nancy's trip out of town falling apart?"

"What are you talking about?" Chris straightened in his seat and shot a look at Buck.

"Don't look at me, I ain't said a thing about it."

Sammy laughed at the mock insult in Buck's voice. He grinned back at her and raised his beer mug in salute. "I was in Mrs. Potter's store a bit ago and overheard Henrietta Simmons tellin' her that Nancy had resigned and left town. According to her, Vin and I hadn't ridden out to Nettie's. Instead, we went to fetch Nancy and bring her back." She shrugged as she ate another piece of tortilla. "I don't think either of them knew I was there, and I didn't stay to ask any questions. I just came lookin' for you."

"How'd she find out about that?" Chris asked, concern evident in his voice. "Only a few people knew about Nancy's resignation, and none 'a them woulda said anything about it. Besides, I burned the letters she left."

Sammy shrugged. "I don't know, but she is friends with Minerva." She started to reach for another tortilla, but changed her mind. The first piece of the thin bread had left her mouth a little dry, and she knew better than to ask for anything to drink as the only beverages Inez kept in stock were either alcoholic in nature or coffee, both of which were on Chris's banned list. As it was, she was already pushing her luck. "You don't think Minerva overheard Vin and Nancy talking about what had happened?"

"Well, they don't call her Nervie for nothin'," Buck grinned in appreciation of his own joke. When neither Chris nor Sammy responded, the ladies' man continued. "That woman does like to gossip. If she did overhear something, she wouldn't hesitate to tell ever'one who'd listen about it."

Chris sighed and shook his head. "The best laid plans of mice and men," he said, quoting the start of the English proverb. Ignoring Sammy's confused look, he stood. "Guess we'd better find out what people are saying and see what we can do to fix it." He drew Sammy's chair back from the table. Taking her arm to draw her to her feet, he leaned down to whisper in her ear. "You're to go to your room and stay there until dinner, and count yourself lucky that you're getting off so easy for comin' in here without permission."

Sammy studied Chris's face. Seeing that he was serious, she nodded. "Yes, sir." She considered herself luck that she wasn't taking a trip over his knee and wasn't about to press him into changing his mind.

Neither of them noticed the man sitting at the corner of the bar. He was casually watching the exchange between the hardened gunman and the young woman. There was something about her that completely fascinated him. Grinning, he took a long drink of his beer. He'd carefully asked around town and had learned that Chris wasn't her father, but had become her legal guardian after she'd escaped from an outlaw gang who had dragged her into town less than a year before. Personally, he thought it was hilarious that that little slip of a girl was less intimidated by Chris than many grown men he knew.

Chris and Buck stood on the porch of the saloon. After watching Sammy make her way to the boarding house as ordered, Chris turned to his friend. "See if you can find out what the gossip around town is about Nancy. I'd lay money that Sammy's worried for nothing. I get the feelin' that even if people find out she tried to resign, it won't hurt her any. In fact, if anything, it might turn people's opinions against Butterfield."

"Sure thing, Chris," Buck grinned as he stepped off the porch onto the dirt street. He knew the perfect place to find out what was being said in town. Besides, he needed a haircut anyway. As he walked toward the barber shop he reflected on the fact that he was starting to see more and more of the man Chris had been before Sarah and Adam had been killed. It was good to see.

Chris groaned under his breath when he pushed open the door to the jail and spotted Nettie Wells sitting behind the desk, waiting for him.

"Don't just stand there lettin' flies in. Close the door." As he complied with her order the older woman came to her feet and moved to stand in front of him. "I've got a bone to pick with you, Christopher."

Chris winced at the use of his full name and glared down at Nettie.

"I told you once, that glare of yours doesn't faze me, so don't even bother." She stepped back and watched as Chris moved to sit behind the desk. When he insolently propped his feet on its surface she shoved them back to the floor.

Chris grinned at Nettie. He couldn't help himself. Somehow the feisty woman standing in front of him had found a way around the walls he had built up and into his heart. Plus, the fact that she was looking at him like he was a recalcitrant five year old struck him as funny.

The grin faded as she slapped him hard on the shoulder. "You'd best get rid of that smirk right now, 'cause you ain't too big for me to do it for you."

Chris forced himself not to laugh as he replied, "yes, ma'am. What is it that has your dander up this time."

"You sent JD out to my place to tell me I gotta lie for Vin and Nancy. Not that I ain't glad to do anything I can for those to," she quickly qualified. "But that boy didn't give me all the details. I get to town this morning and hear the talk goin' around that Nancy resigned and Vin and Sammy went after her." Nettie crossed her arms over her chest. "I wanna know what's really goin' on here."

"Is that all?" Chris held his hands up in surrender as Nettie stepped toward him. "Have a seat," he said, gesturing to the other chair in the room. He waited until she was seated before continuing. Sighing, he related what had happened between Arthur Butterfield, Mary, and Nancy, and Nancy's subsequent attempt to resign her employment.

"Well, of all the addle-headed. . . ," Nettie said, shaking her head. "Butterfield likes to think he's the biggest toad in the puddle, but he ain't nothing but a blatherskite. Ain't nobody takes him seriously. You know why she took off like that?"

"I talked to Vin this morning." Chris propped his feet back up on the top of the desk, knowing full well it would irritate Nettie. "He said she left because she didn't want to be the cause of trouble for those she cared about."

"Humphf," Nettie grunted as she rose to her feet. "I don't suppose Vin straightened her out on that point."

Chris grinned as he, too, rose. "Oh, I have a feeling that by the time Vin got finished with her last night she more than saw the error of her ways."

After Nettie took her leave, Chris sat back down behind the desk. Shaking his head, he wondered how many pairs of ears the older woman would scorch before the day was over.

It was almost two hours later when Chris looked up from his book as Buck, followed by Ezra, entered the jail. "What did you find out?"

He watched as Buck plopped down in the chair in front of the desk and removed his hat. Ezra propped his shoulders against the far wall. The gambler pulled a well-used deck of playing cards from the inner pocket of his jacket and began casually shuffling them. "Mr. Wilmington and I have had a very interesting afternoon listening to the mindless gossip shared by the vast majority of the busybodies who reside in this town."

Chris shot Buck a questioning look. Buck correctly interpreted his friend's gaze. "Ran into him at the barber's and decided to enlist his assistance," he said, poking fun at the gambler's propensity to use a more formal vocabulary.

Rather than taking offense, Ezra inclined his head in appreciation of the jibe. "The tale of Miss Bishop's resignation and Vin's and Sammy's subsequent excursion to retrieve her has made its way through out the town."

"Most folks like it makes a romantic tale, Miss Bishop taking off to keep Vin from gettin' hurt and Vin goin' after her." Buck picked up the story. "There's a few who think she shoulda kept ridin', but most everybody seems to think Butterfield's the bad guy here."

Chris nodded. "Guess we worried for nothing." Somehow, he didn't think it was going to be quite that easy.

XxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX

It was almost a week later when Chris stepped out of Mrs. Potter's store onto the wooden sidewalk. The sound of the stagecoach drew his attention, and he turned to watch it pull to a stop. He had mixed feelings about the arrival of the carriage. It had been overdue by more than a day, so it had been a relief to see it had arrived with no signs of problems. On the other hand, he wasn't looking forward to hearing the reason behind one of its passenger's visit.

Chris withdrew a cheroot and match from his shirt pocket. He struck the match on the porch rail and lit the thin cigarette. The gunman watched as Judge Travis alit from the stagecoach and made his way toward the porch.

"Got your telegram," Chris said as the older man mounted the steps. "What is this job you've got for us."

"Let's go over to the saloon, I need to wash the road dust out of my throat with a beer." Judge Travis headed in that direction.

Several minutes later, after both men had nearly finished their drinks, Judge Travis sighed and leaned back in his chair. "I need you and three of your men to escort two prisoners from the train in Ridge City to Red Fork, where I'm going to conduct a murder trial."

"Why four of us?" Chris asked curiously.

"These two have already tried to escape twice." Judge Travis took another deep swallow, finishing off his beer. "And, I've received word that members of their gang may be planning to help them make a third attempt."

"And you want us to prevent that," Chris stated. "What are they accused of doing?"

"They held up a stagecoach. Killed the guard and driver, and shot one of the passengers, a woman who refused to turn over her wedding ring. She survived and is going to testify at the trial."

Chris got up and moved to the bar, where he ordered two more beers. He chatted briefly with Inez before rejoining Judge Travis at their table. Sitting, he handed one of the glasses to the older man.

Each member of the peacekeepers had particular skills which made them suitable for certain situations. He knew which of men he'd ask to go with him, but he needed some additional information first, as at least one of those men would have to make arrangements. "Will you need us to stay for the trial?"

"No, marshal in Red Fork will be taking over once you get there." Judge Travis could tell where Chris's mind was going. "You shouldn't be gone more than two weeks."

Chris nodded. "I'll take Josiah, Nathan, and Vin with me. I figure Vin can leave Kevin with Mary or get Buck to stay with him."

Judge Travis smiled. "If it were me, I'd leave the boy with Mary. Buck's a good man, but I don't know that I'd trust him with a young, impressionable boy for that long."

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

Author's Note: This chapter contains disciplinary spanking. If that isn't your thing, hit the back button now. You have been warned.

If you enjoy what I've written, please review.

_Previously: The truth about Nancy's resignation and Vin and Sammy's trip to bring her back to town made its way around Four Corners. Instead of turning people against her, everyone thought it a romantic story. Judge Travis arrived in town with a job that would keep four members of the peace keepers out of town for at least two weeks._

**CHAPTER 17**

Sammy sat on the edge of a cliff overlooking the pond. She picked up a rock and tossed it into the water, watching the resulting rings spread across its surface. She knew she wasn't supposed to ride out by herself. Her last trip over Chris's knee had driven that rule home loud and clear. However, she'd needed to get out of town and out from under the eagle-eyes of those who were watching her. One would have thought that with Chris and the others out of town the past week she would have had an easier time of things.

That wasn't how it had worked out, through. It seemed like every adult in town had been riding herd on her. Sammy felt as if she couldn't walk down the street without ten people asking where she was going. She knew Chris trusted her to behave. In fact, that had been the gist of their last discussion before he'd left. So she was sure the townspeople had taken their surveillance of her upon themselves. The bad part was she didn't know if it was because they didn't trust her or if it was because they cared and wanted to protect her. Either way, she was lucky to have made it out of town without being seen.

Sammy was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear the two men who rode up behind her until one spoke. "Well, lookee what we found. Must be our lucky day, dontcha think, Slim?"

XxxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX

"Now where'd that boy get to?" Buck asked as he stepped out of the livery stable. He had been told by Gloria Potter that she had seen Kevin, along with his friends, heading in that direction. It seemed like he was forever looking for the boy somewhere. He shook his head, wondering how Vin kept track of Kevin. Of course, the tracker had the help of the other peacekeepers, the majority of whom were out of town, thus Kevin being in Buck's charge.

Although Buck would never admit it for the world, there had been times during the past week when Buck had regretted his insistence that he could watch after Kevin. After all, both Mary and Mrs. Patterson offered to take on the task. But Buck had decided it was time to help out his friend. After all, he'd thought, how hard could looking after one boy really be? Well, he'd definitely learned it was a lot harder than it'd looked.

As he passed the alley between the First National Bank and the Virginia Hotel, he heard the sound of children's voices and laughter. Thinking he recognized Kevin's voice, he followed the sound into the alley.

"What are you lookin' at?" he demanded when he finally spotted the group. Kevin, along with Matthew and the Miller boys, were gathered in a circle. They were intently studying something on the ground.

Four sets of eyes turned to stare in surprise at Buck. He stepped forward until he could see what was lying on the ground amidst them. His eyes widened when he spotted the photograph of the scantily clad woman. He quickly snatched the photograph from the ground and demanded, "where the heck did you get this?"

The boys shared a look. "We found it in a empty stall in the livery stable," Kevin said.

"It was sticking out of a pile of straw," Matthew continued. He had a bad feeling that if his ma found out he'd been looking at a picture like that he'd be in big trouble.

Buck studied the four boys. He nearly smiled as he watched them squirm. He could only imagine was it was like to be that age and find something like that. Still, the photograph wasn't something boys that age should have.

"You aren't gonna tell our folks about this are you?" Matthew tentatively asked. Both Miller brothers nodded their agreement with the question. All of them knew that without a doubt that if it had been any of the peacekeepers other than Buck or J.D. who had found them, they'd already be marching toward their doom.

"Go on, get out of here." The boys started to rise, but he held up his hand to pause them. "But if I ever catch any of you with something like this again, I'll be havin' a little talk with your parents. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir," the boys all answered in unison. The boys, including Kevin, turned to run down the alley.

However, Buck was too quick and caught Kevin's arm before he took more than two steps. "Not so fast, son. I've been lookin' all over town for you. You were supposed to be back at the boarding house two hours ago. And it ain't the first time you've disobeyed me."

Kevin looked down and dug his toe into the dirt. He knew he'd been pushing Buck. But it had been kind of fun doing things he knew he'd never have been able to get away with if Vin or Chris had been there. Now, he supposed he was going to have to pay the price. Turning his best puppy dog eyes up at Buck, he said, "I'm sorry, Buck."

Buck sighed. He'd never been able to resist those eyes from anyone, must less from a child. He just didn't have it in him to punish the boy now, or at least not very much. "Come on," he said, "let's get back to the boarding house. Mrs. Patterson will fix you a late lunch."

Kevin grinned. Buck was such a softy, he knew he'd just get away scot-free. Still, he followed the ladies' man back to the boarding house. Once there, he went straight back to the kitchen, where Mrs. Patterson gave him the roast beef sandwich she had saved for him.

He was busy eating when Buck sat across from him at the kitchen table. "You know, Kevin, Vin put a lot of trust in me being able to watch after you." Kevin nodded, a little apprehensive as to where this conversation was going. "Well, by disobeying me and not being where you're supposed to be, you're making it mighty hard for me to keep my promise to keep you safe."

Suddenly losing his appetite, Kevin put down his sandwich. "I'm sorry, Buck," he repeated his earlier words.

Buck nodded, accepting the boy's apology. "I know you are, son, but I think you oughtta spend the rest of the day in your room, thinking about what you've done wrong."

Kevin nodded. He wasn't getting away scot-free as he'd thought, but the punishment wasn't as bad as it could have been either. His appetite restored, he picked up his sandwich and took a huge bite.

Buck stood and grinned. "Slow down before you chock yourself. When you're done, head on upstairs." He turned and left Kevin to finish his late lunch.

"Mr. Wilmington." He had passed the door into the parlor when he heard Mrs. Patterson calling him. He turned to face her. "Yes, ma'am?"

"I was concerned when Mr. Tanner left you in charge of the boy that you would let him run wild. Given his behavior the last few days, I thought my fears were grounded." She paused, watching the tall man squirm a little. "However, that conversation I just overheard was well done."

Buck grinned and, to his chagrin, felt himself blush a little. "Thank you, ma'am."

XxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX

Sammy quickly came to her feet and spun around to find the two dirty, scruffy looking men standing not ten feet away from her. Both men were disheveled and dirty. She would have bet neither of them had seen soap and water in more than a month. She could smell their body odor even at that distance.

Swallowing hard, Sammy glanced over to the edge of the nearby stand of trees where her horse was picketed and the gun belt hooked around the saddle horn. Hearing Chris's warnings about the dangers of riding out by herself ringing in her head, she backed up until she stood on the edge of the cliff so that a single step back would send her plunging into the water.

"Who are you? What do you want?" she demanded, as she looked down to judge the distance to the water below. She'd jumped from that rock before while swimming with Casey and J.D. But that had been several weeks before, and there hadn't been a lot of rain since.

"Now, girlie, is that any way to treat someone who just wants to say hello?" One of the men asked. His companion smiled, showing his blackened and rotted teeth.

Nausea swept through Sammy's stomach. "Well, you've said hello. Please leave." She briefly considered trying to escape by jumping off the cliff and swimming to the other side of the pond. However, she was sure that one or both of the men would make it to the other side before she could, and her chances for escape would diminish greatly.

The second man chuckled and spoke for the first time. "I don't think we're ready to leave yet."

"Oh, but I think you are."

Sammy had been so intent on the two men that she hadn't even seen the newcomer. The two men in front of her were also surprised and spun around to face the man, only to spot the gun he was holding on them.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Michael Langdon stated when one of the men reached for the gun strapped to his side. "It'll never clear its holster before I put a bullet in you. Now, instead of makin' me waste good lead on the two of you, why don't you do as the little lady said and leave."

When the man continued to reach for his sidearm, Michael fired a warning shot that kicked up the dirt at the man's feet. "Pull that gun, and the next one goes through your heart." The man's hand dropped to hang limply at his side.

Michael nodded his head in the direction of the men's horses. "Go on, get out of here." Deciding that they had better obey this time, both men practically ran to their mounts.

Sammy watched the two men ride out. The moment they were out of sight, she ran to Michael and threw herself against his chest in relief. He held her there a moment, until he could feel the tension and fear leaving her body. Once she calmed down, he grasped her by the shoulders and pushed her away.

"What in God's name are you doin' out here by yourself?" Michael demanded, studying Sammy's face. "You know good and well it ain't safe for you to ride out alone. How'd you manage to get out here by yourself without your pa knowin', anyway?"

Sammy attempted to step back, but Michael maintained a strong grip on her upper arm. Ignoring his question about Chris, she continued, "I appreciate you coming along when you did and helping me out. But you can let me go now."

Michael shook his head in disbelief. "Of all the addle-headed . . . ," he started to say to himself. To Sammy he said, "And leave you here by your lonesome? If you think I'm gonna do that, you aren't nearly as smart as I thought you were."

Sammy jerked her arm, again attempting to break free of Michael's grip. When he didn't let her go, she decided to take a different tact. She stepped in closer to him, taking a little by surprise. Before he could react to her nearness, Sammy brought her knee up hard into his groin causing him to let her go as he doubled over in pain. As soon as Michael let her go, she started running toward her horse.

She almost made it before Michael caught up to her. He grabbed her arm and pulled her toward a nearby fallen tree. "I was just going to take you back to town and let Chris deal with you, but that knee of yours just got you in more trouble than you can handle."

Sammy fought to break free of Michael's hold. She knew exactly what he was planning and wanted no part of it. Despite her kicking and bucking, Michael managed to pin her down with an arm in the middle of her back. She gasped with pain as the first smack landed on her upturned backside. Sammy reached back, attempting to protect herself from his descending hand. Without missing a beat, Michael captured her hand and held it at the small of her back.

"You don't ride out by yourself. Ever." Michael lectured as he spanked. "And you don't knee me in the groin when I'm trying to help you." Several more hard smacks landed.

Sammy did something she never would have considered if it had been Chris's lap she was over. She turned her head and sank her teeth hard into his thigh.

Michael gasped at the pain that shot through his leg. "Let go," he ordered as he brought his hand down harder on the sensitive skin of her sit spot. "Now," he demanded, "or I swear I'm gonna yank these britches down and blister your bare hide." His hand descended again, harder than before.

Sammy was determined to hang on no matter what. If she couldn't escape, she was going to give him as much pain as she could in revenge. She quickly changed her mind, though, when she felt his hand slide under her body and go to the fastening of the denim trousers she wore. She hadn't believed he would carry out his threat, but she'd been wrong. Let go of his leg, she quickly apologized. "Please don't." It was bad enough that Michael was spanking her, but she didn't know if she'd be able to bear the embarrassment of him seeing her bare backside.

Michael pulled his hand out from under her body and again rested it on the small of her back. "Good choice," he said as he laid another volley of hard slaps against her bottom. He finished with sharp slaps to her sit spot. Pushing her off his lap, he stood and pulled Sammy to her feet in one fluid motion.

Without think about what she was doing, the moment she was on her feet Sammy bunched her fist and swung it, intending to connect with Michael's chin. Michael jerked his head back just in time for her fist to miss its target. "Try that again," he warned, "and I'll think you haven't learned your lesson yet." He took a menacing step forward as Sammy took a corresponding step backward. Seeing that she clearly understood his threat, he took her by the arm and led her to where his horse was standing, waiting. Letting go of her arm, he ordered, "go get your horse."

He mounted and watched the swing of her hips as Sammy moved to comply with his order. Michael had half expected her to mount and ride hell bent for leather away from him, so he was a little surprised when she merely gathered the reins and started leading the horse to the trail that led back to town. Grinning, he nudged his horse forward. When he caught up with her, he reached down and took the reins from her hands.

"Mount up," he ordered. His grin widened and he laughed at the look of horror that crossed Sammy's face. "You didn't think you were going to get to ride shank's mare back to town did you?"

Sammy glared at him as she mounted. Her glare turned into a grimace when her still very sore backside came into contact with the hard leather of the saddle.

Michael nodded. "That'll give you an incentive to remember this lesson, won't it."

TBC


	18. Chapter 18

Author's note: I apologize for taking so long to post this chapter. I had a lot of thoughts and ideas to weed through, and I hope this works for you. If you like what I've written or have some constructive criticism, please post a review or send me a message.

**CHAPTER 18**

_ Previously: Chris, Nathan, Vin, and Josiah have left town to carry out a job for Judge Travis. Sammy, feeling constrained by the watchful eyes of the residents of Four Corners snuck out of town to the pond. While there, she comes close to being attacked by two men, only to be rescued by Michael Langdon._

Oren Travis sat on the porch outside the saloon, smoking a cigarillo. He would be catching the stage to Red Fork later in the day. Chris had sent a telegram reporting that he and the other peacekeepers had arrived there the day before with their prisoners. Having turned the men over to the town marshal, they were on their way back to Four Corners.

Crushing out his cigarillo, he rose and stretched the kinks out of his back. He was planning to go spend some time with his grandson before he had to leave. However, Judge Travis's attention was caught by Sammy and a man he vaguely recognized riding into town. Normally, a sight like that wouldn't have piqued his interest as people rode into and out of town all the time. But he knew how protective Chris was of Sammy, and he couldn't imagine Chris having condoned the activity.

Curious, Judge Travis watched as the two riders neared the livery stable. Sammy dismounted, but the man remaining atop his horse. They exchanged words, but he was too far away to hear what was being said. Sammy led her horse into the stable, while the man continued in the direction of the saloon. As he couldn't help but notice that the girl was moving a bit too stiffly, his curiosity was piqued even more.

Resuming his seat, he decided to wait for the man to dismount and move onto the porch. "Did I just see you ride in with Samantha Browning?" he asked, lighting another cigarillo.

"What business is it of yours if I did?" Michael studied the older man. His brow furrowed slightly. The older man was slightly familiar, but Michael couldn't place him. Either way, he was in no mood for small talk at the moment.

"I'm Oren Travis, territorial judge. I'm also a good friend of Chris Larabee."

Damn, Michael thought. Now he remembered. During his marshal days, it had once been his duty to escort a prisoner to a trial before Judge Travis. Michael removed his hat and dusted it against his pant leg in agitation. Given the man's identity and his connection to Chris, he supposed it would be better to answer than not. Sighing in frustration, he said, "I was riding into town when I spotted her at the pond, and she wasn't alone. There were two saddle bums who were preparing to raise sand with her." Michael settled his hat back on his head. "I chased them off and escorted her back here."

Judge Travis glanced in the direction of the livery stable. He almost felt sorry for the girl, as Chris certainly wouldn't be happy when he heard what happened. Turning back to Michael, he asked, "she okay?"

Michael debated about how to answer that question. Given the sensitivity of the subject, he decided to be a bit judicious in his response. "They didn't hurt her, but I'd say she's still a mite sore." When Judge Travis raised his eyebrow in inquiry, Michael continued. "That's something you'll have to discuss with her. Now, if you'll excuse me." He moved past the older man and into the saloon.

Oren Travis removed his hat and scratched his head as he contemplated his next move. Finally making up his mind, he stepped off the saloon's porch and headed toward the livery stable. He paused as he stepped into the darken structure and watched Sammy as she carried her horse's saddle to the tack room. His earlier impression had been right, she was moving a bit too stiffly.

Sammy started when she came out of the tack room and saw Judge Travis standing in the wide doorway. She had known he was in town, but hadn't run into him, so she couldn't help but wonder why he was here now. For the moment, however, she tried to ignore him as she entered her horse's stall to begin the grooming process.

"I heard you've had quite the day," Judge Travis stated as he neared the stall. He casually crossed his arms on the top of the stall door, patiently waiting for Sammy to respond. His instincts told him to tread carefully if he wanted to have his curiosity satisfied.

Sammy looked up from running the curry brush along the horse's side and met Judge Travis's eyes. When she had first met the man, she had resented him for the role he'd played in preventing her from being able to pursue her revenge against the Slater gang. Since she had adapted to life in Four Corners and had grown closer to Chris, some of that resentment had eased. That didn't stop her attitude from showing through. "Yeah, so?"

Judge Travis grinned. He'd had a lot of practice reading people, and Sammy was definitely uncomfortable. Whether it was his presence or the thought of what suspected had happened between her and Langdon was yet to be determined.

"I ran into Michael Langdon over at the saloon. He told me what happened."

"Why, that boot-licker. He had no business telling you about it. Or anyone else, for that matter." Sammy nearly slung the brush onto the shelf. The horse shied away in fear at her sudden outburst.

Ignoring her language, Judge Travis stepped back and opened the stall door. "Come on out of there," he directed. Taking her by the arm as she exited the enclosure, he led her over to sit on a hay bale. He took a seat beside her.

"I've been meaning to sit down and talk with you about how you're finding life here in Four Corners. Mary tells me you're settling in well." He glanced over at Sammy.

Not quite sure where this conversation was going, she shrugged. "I suppose I am."

Judge Travis bit back a grin at her reticence. This was going exactly as he'd expected. "She also tells me you are helping out at the school. How's that going? Are you enjoying the work?"

Sammy tried not to pleasure at the idea of her time at the school show on her face. "It's a good job. I do enjoy it."

"Maybe I can make some inquiries about getting you admitted into one of the normal schools back east so you can be formally trained as a teacher." He paused a moment to let the idea settle in. "That is, if that is what you want to do. Why don't you think about it and discuss it with Chris?"

She wouldn't admit it, but Judge Travis's offer had certainly taken her by surprise. "I'll think about it."

He nodded and settled back on his makeshift seat. Now was the time to get to the meat of the matter. "You want to tell me about what happened at the pond?"

Sammy shifted so she could look the older man in the eye. What she saw there was concern and a measure of patience, rather than the condemnation she had expected to see. She sighed heavily and shifted so that her back was against the wall and pulled her feet up onto the bale of hay. In doing so, she took some of the pressure off her still sore backside. Wrapping her arms around her raised knees, she leaned her head back so that she could study the hayloft.

"I had to get out of town for a while. Since Chris left, people seemed to be watching my every move. It was worse than when Chris is around. At least he lets me have the run of town without having to explain my every move."

"I suppose that would make a person itchy," Judge Travis commented when Sammy paused.

"Yeah, I managed to make my way out of town without being stopped. At first I planned to just ride for a while, then head back to town. But, when I got to the pond I decided to stop. I was sittin' on that giant boulder that overlooks the water. You know the one?" she asked. When Judge Travis nodded, indicating he knew the area to which she was referring. "Well, I'd been sittin' there maybe fifteen minutes, just thinking about stuff, when two men came up behind me." She shuddered at the thought of what had nearly happened. "I spent enough time with the Slater gang that I knew exactly what they had planned. Those sons-a-bitches would have done it, too, if Michael Langdon hadn't shown up." She ignored the judge's raised eyebrow at her use of the vulgar term.

Judge Travis acted on instinct and draped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to his side. "You were a very lucky young woman."

Sammy took comfort from Oren's embrace. "I know. I don't think I've ever been so scared, even when I was living with the Slaters." She wiped a tear from her eye. Giving a short laugh, she continued, "I guess I finally learned that lesson Chris keeps trying to teach me about ridin' out alone."

A thought suddenly occurred to her. "You're not going to tell Chris about this, are you?" Sammy asked, turning pleading eyes to the older man.

The judge studied her a moment. Deciding that fostering trust between them was more important than telling on her to Chris, he shook his head. "No, what you just told me stays between us." He smiled kindly when Sammy sighed in relief. "However, Four Corners is a small town. It's a good bet he'll hear about it from someone else. You'd do better to tell him yourself."

XxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX

Chris sighed as he and his friends rode back into Four Corners. He was weary from being on the road for so long. He wanted a drink, a meal, a bath, and to check in with Mary and Sammy, and not particularly in that order.

"What's eatin' you, Cowboy?" Vin asked. He hadn't missed his friend's sigh.

"Nothin'," he replied as he dismounted in front of the livery stable. He looked around at what he could see of the town. It didn't look like anything had changed. "Just glad to be home." And wasn't it strange to be calling someplace "home," he thought. He'd spent much of the last several years on the run from his memories, only to finally find his place in this town.

"I hear that," Nathan stated from his other side.

Josiah grinned as he led his horse into the stable. "It's a wonder how quickly a place can become home."

The four men unsaddled and groomed their horses in companionable silence. Each was lost in his own thoughts of what Four Corners and the people had come to mean to them.

Finally, giving his horse one final affectionate slap on the rump, Chris stepped out of the stall. He'd decided that the first order of business was to be a drink and a serving of whatever Inez had prepared in the kitchen of the saloon. Then he'd go by the boarding house for a change of clothes before heading over to the bath house to get cleaned up.

A few minutes later, he was ensconced at a corner table, a beer at his elbow and a plate of tamales and beans in front of him. Given the relatively early hour, the saloon was nearly empty, but the few customers who were there were giving the black-clad gunman a wide berth.

Michael Langdon entered the saloon just as Chris stood to leave. Deciding now was as good a time as any to have this particular discussion, he stepped into the older man's path. "Can I have a word with you, Larabee? I'll buy you a beer."

Chris nearly shoved Michael out of his path and walked on. However, something in the younger man's face made him pause. He turned on his heel and headed back to the table he'd just vacated. "You've got five minutes," he said over his shoulder. "Keep your beer."

Michael nodded and followed Chris. Given their history, he supposed five minutes was as good as he was going to get.

"Whatta you want?" Chris demanded as soon as Michael neared the table.

Michael nearly changed his mind, but what he was after would be worth the confrontation. He pulled a chair out and sat. Leaning back, he crossed his arms over his chest. "I know we haven't gotten off on the right foot, but I want to change that."

"Why?" Chris questioned as he studied the other man's face. He wasn't sure he liked what he saw there.

Michael shifted in his chair. He nearly walked away from the table, but that wouldn't get him what he wanted. "I want your permission to court Sammy."

Chris stared at the younger man for several long seconds before smiling. It was a grin many people had learned to fear. "And exactly why would I do that?" He leaned back in his chair in a deceptively relaxed pose.

"Because I'm not the same man you first met. That's my past. It's not my present or my future. Right now, I want to work hard and make a good living and find a good woman to settle down and raise a family with. I think Sammy may just be that woman." Michael studied Chris, trying to read the inscrutable expression on his face.

Chris leaned forward to brace his hands on the table, bringing his face close to Michael's. "I catch you anywhere near Sammy, and by the time I get done with you there won't be enough of you left to even interest the buzzards." He straightened and stalked out of the saloon.

His temper was on a slow boil when Chris stepped into the foyer of the boarding house. The first thing he noticed was the piano music. He instantly recognized it as something Sammy played when there was something weighing heavily on her mind.

The music abruptly stopped, and Sammy appeared in the parlor doorway. "You're home," she said as she moved to embrace Chris. She stopped short as she reached him. "You smell worse than a horse."

Chris gave a short bark of laughter. "Hello to you, too." He studied Sammy's face. "Something on your mind?"

Sammy nodded. "It can wait. I'm sure you want to get cleaned up."

Chris's eyes narrowed. Whatever had been on Sammy's mind had her upset. He glanced around the parlor, trying to decide if he'd ruin any of Mrs. Patterson's furniture if he sat on it. Finally deciding it was safe enough, he grasped Sammy by the arm and led her into the room. "You're more important than me taking a bath. If you can stand the smell, we can talk about whatever's eatin' at you."

Sammy sighed heavily. This wasn't a conversation she had looked forward to having, but she supposed it would be better to get it over with sooner rather than later. "How was your trip?" she asked, hoping to ease into the subject.

"Long and dirty," Chris replied shortly. "Somehow, I don't think my trip is what's on your mind. Something happen while I was gone?"

Sammy shrugged and moved to pace the room, unable to stand still. "After you rode out, everybody in town started keeping an eagle eye on me. I couldn't walk down the street without ten people asking me what I was doing or where I was going." She turned to face Chris, and he could see the strain in her face.

"I didn't put them up to it, if that's what yer thinkin."

"I didn't think you had," Sammy responded. "I'd like to think you trust me more than that." She moved to sit on the small rocking chair in the corner of the room. "It got to be too much, and I had to get away for a while." She studied Chris's face as she told him exactly what had happened at the pond, including what had happened between her and Michael. "I guess I finally learned my lesson," she said as she shrugged her shoulders.

Chris rubbed his hands over his face and stared at Sammy over the tips of his fingers. His gaze was so intent that she started squirming in her seat. He supposed this was what had spurred Langdon to approach him about courting her. "I ought to blister your ass, you know that don't you?"

"Yes, sir," Sammy replied in a soft voice. This was exactly what she had been expecting and was afraid that sitting was soon to become just a fond memory.

Chris let her continue to squirm for several long moments. "I'm proud of you." He nearly grinned at the surprise that crossed Sammy's face. Obviously, it wasn't what she had expected to hear. "But I won't. In the time you've been here, you've grown into a responsible, caring young lady. I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt this time and assume you've more than learned your lesson." He paused to allow his words to sink in. "But," he said, his voice taking on a stern tone, "you pull anything like that again, and I'll strip all the skin off your backside. Is that clear?"

Sammy grinned. "Perfectly." She stood and considered her next move. Making up her mind, she threw her arms around Chris and hugged him tightly.

"I love you, Chris."

He hugged her back, oblivious to the tear that left a muddy track through the dust that coated his face. Yes, he thought, he was home.

Author's Note: I've decided to end this story here. I promise to return to Four Corners one day. There are still so many stories to tell. In the meantime, I've got some ideas to explore in my NCIS story, More Than She Can Chew.


End file.
